Agartala, Oct 6 — Tipra Motha Party (TMP) Supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarman has announced plans to move the Supreme Court over what he termed as an unprecedented delay in obtaining the Governor’s assent on several Bills passed by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
Speaking to Tripura Times, Debbarman revealed that 37 Bills passed by the TTAADC are currently pending clearance. “Around 16 to 17 of them pertain to customary laws of tribal communities, while several others concern land-related issues and ease of doing business,” he said.
Emphasizing constitutional propriety, Debbarman noted that the Governor has the authority to return a Bill if it requires modification. “That would give us an opportunity to review and rework the matter so it can be enacted as law,” he said. “However, if Bills are withheld indefinitely without any communication, it effectively curtails the legislative powers of the TTAADC.”
Citing the Supreme Court’s April 2025 judgment in State of Tamil Nadu vs. Governor of Tamil Nadu, which criticized the practice of Governors indefinitely withholding assent to Bills, Debbarman argued that similar constitutional clarity was needed for the functioning of autonomous councils.
“In our case, the state government acts as an intermediary, forwarding the Bills to the Governor. We are demanding transparency in this entire process. The Governor must either assent or reject a Bill within a specific timeframe,” Debbarman asserted.
He also mentioned that several Bills introduced during the CPIM regime remain pending for approval.
Despite being in alliance with the state government, the Tipra Motha Party has previously approached the courts on multiple occasions, including petitions demanding timely elections to TTAADC Village Committees.
