A coordination committee representing the traditional heads of several tribal communities has urged Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha to fast-track the codification of customary laws for 14 Scheduled Tribe communities, saying the legislative process has stalled despite the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) having passed the bills on December 28, 2022. In a memorandum submitted at the chief minister’s official residence, the Tripura Tribal Customary Law Coordination Committee warned that the prolonged delay has created uncertainty over the legal recognition and protection of indigenous customs, traditions and institutions.
The committee noted that Tripura officially recognises 19 Scheduled Tribe communities, each with distinct customs, languages and cultural practices. It said the TTAADC-constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution-was created to safeguard tribal identity, rights and self-governance, including the preservation and formal recognition of customary practices.
According to the memorandum, tribal communities in the state have long regulated social and civil matters through their own customary systems, with disputes often resolved internally through traditional mechanisms. The committee argued that formal codification would provide these systems with clear legal status while preserving customary dispute-resolution processes.
The bills approved by the TTAADC on December 28, 2022 cover 14 communities, the committee said, naming Tripuri, Reang, Chakma, Garo, Uchoi, Noatia, Murasing, Kaipeng, Rupini, Hrankhawl, Mog, Mizo and Choroi among those included. Apart from the Jamatia Customary Law, the memorandum added, no other tribal customary law has been formally enacted despite repeated efforts over the years.
The committee said the proposed legislation was forwarded to the Tribal Welfare Department for processing and for the Governor’s assent, but some bills were reportedly returned to the TTAADC for rectification and the overall codification process remains incomplete. Expressing concern, the group urged the state government to complete the legislative steps urgently so tribal communities can continue practising their customary laws within a legally recognised framework.
A delegation from the coordination committee met Chief Minister Manik Saha to hand over the memorandum and pressed for early action on the pending bills. The committee framed the demand as essential to legal clarity, cultural preservation and the effective self-governance of Tripura’s tribal communities.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/tripura/tripura-customary-law-panel-calls-on-government-to-expedite-tribal-law-codification.html
Category: Northeast News,Top News,Tripura
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Publish Date: 2026-07-27 23:45:00
