Agartala: A coordination committee representing the traditional heads of several tribal communities has urged Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha to expedite the codification of customary laws for 14 Scheduled Tribe communities, saying the legislative process has remained pending despite the bills being passed by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in 2022.
In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the Tripura Tribal Customary Law Coordination Committee said the prolonged delay has created uncertainty over the legal recognition and protection of indigenous customs, traditions and institutions.
The committee said Tripura is home to 19 recognised Scheduled Tribe communities, each with distinct customs, languages and cultural practices.
It noted that these communities have historically regulated social and civil matters through their own customary systems, with disputes often being resolved within the community through traditional mechanisms.
The committee said the TTAADC, established under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, was meant to safeguard the rights, identity and self-governance of tribal communities, including the preservation of their customary practices.
The memorandum stated that the demand for the codification of tribal customary laws has existed since the formation of the autonomous district council. However, apart from the Jamatia Customary Law, no other tribal customary law has been formally enacted despite repeated efforts over the years.
According to the committee, the TTAADC unanimously approved customary law bills covering 14 tribal communities on December 28, 2022. These include the Tripuri, Reang, Chakma, Garo, Uchoi, Noatia, Murasing, Kaipeng, Rupini, Hrankhawl, Mog, Mizo and Choroi communities, among others.
The committee said the proposed legislation was subsequently forwarded to the Tribal Welfare Department for further processing and the Governor’s assent. While some of the bills were reportedly returned to the TTAADC for rectification, the codification process has yet to be completed.
Expressing concern over the delay, the committee urged the state government to complete the legislative process at the earliest so that tribal communities can continue practising their customary laws within a legally recognised framework.
A delegation of the committee met Chief Minister Manik Saha at his official residence and submitted the memorandum, seeking early action on the pending bills.