The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) is set to get a new name with more power in its fold. The elections to the council, which were due in May 2019 and had been deferred indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, are likely to take place after the conclusion of 125th Constitutional amendment to empower the tribal council, originally set up under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The TTAADC will be renamed as the Tipra Territorial Council (TTC) in line with the BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) of Assam. The State’s Education minister Ratan Lal Nath confirmed this on Friday.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee which was formed to make recommendations for the 125th constitutional amendment had accepted certain proposals received from the state government, political parties and indigenous forums. It however disapproved the idea of direct funding from the union government to the council bypassing the state government.
TTAADC currently has the provision to elect 28 members while the Governor nominates two. The amendment will enhance the number of members to 50, six of whom will be nominated by the Governor, officials confirmed.
Confusion persists over whether election to the council will take place under its present 28-member and two nominated formats, or under a new arrangement of seats.
While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is showing reluctance on hold elections to the council, the Opposition Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, and the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra have pressed their demand for the immediate announcement of a poll schedule.
TTAADC has limited authority over three-fourths of the land in Tripura. Only one third of the State’s population resides in the demarcated area.
