Tipra Motha Party founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma on Wednesday urged Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu to examine the prolonged delay in granting approval to bills passed by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), with around 18 legislations reportedly pending for several years.
Pradyot, accompanied by TTAADC Chief Executive Member Runiel Debbarma, met the Governor and raised concerns over the status of the pending bills.
Speaking after the meeting, Pradyot said the TTAADC, as an elected body under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, has passed several bills aimed at protecting the rights and improving the welfare of indigenous communities. These include measures related to land rights, administrative reforms, recruitment policy and customary laws.
However, he said the bills cannot take effect as laws without the required approval of the Governor.
“We have passed several important bills in the Council, but many of them are still awaiting the Governor’s approval. Since they have not received the necessary assent, we are unable to implement them as laws,” Pradyot said.
He said the matter has been raised repeatedly and that a written representation was submitted to the Governor seeking his intervention to determine why the bills have remained pending for such a long period.
Pradyot also said the prolonged delay has placed elected representatives in a difficult position, as people who voted for them are demanding answers regarding the implementation of measures promised for their welfare.
He further claimed that the issue has also reached the Supreme Court and alleged that some bills have been pending at different stages since around 2007.
“People have elected us and naturally they ask what has happened to the laws we promised. When the bills remain pending, we have no clear answer to give them,” he said.
Following the meeting, Pradyot said he had requested the Governor to review the bills submitted by the TTAADC over the years.
He described the Governor as “kind and gracious” and expressed hope that the constitutional spirit and objectives of the Sixth Schedule would be protected while dealing with the pending legislation.
