Agartala:
The executive committee of the Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) would be dissolved on May 17 as elections to the tribal council could not be held within its tenure due to COVID-19 pandemic, Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said on Tuesday.
The minister told reporters here that the Council of Ministers on Tuesday gave its approval to dissolve the TTAADC executive council on May 17.
The tenure of the TTAADC would expire on May 17 and it would be dissolved on the same day and Governor Ramesh Bais would hold charge till the next election, Nath said.
The minister said that the governor would assume charge of the administration of the District Council as per provisions of the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, which enables a Governor to assume all functions or powers vested in the district council if he feels a situation has arisen in which administration of the TTAADC can’t be carried out in accordance with the provisions.
According to powers and functions under the provision of the sixth schedule of the constitution the concerned governor could hold power initially for six months unless it is extended with a second order or orders. All orders issued by him have to be ratified by the state assembly.
“The Governor will appoint an administrator to run the TTAADC, if required. The cabinet has decided that the Governor will have power in the TTAADC areas as per law”, Nath said.
Earlier on March 26, the elections for the 30-member council was deferred for an indefinite time by the state government. Tribal Welfare Director N. Darlong in a notification said that the state government has decided to defer polls for an “indefinite period” considering the situation in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Executive Member of the tribal council, Radhacharan Debbarma said they would wait for the decision of the governor on the issue since he holds discretionary powers to extend tenure of existing committee by one year in case of natural calamities or take charge himself in case of breakdown of internal law and order.
Ruling BJP spokesperson Dr Ashok Sinha said his party would also wait for the Governors decision as well.
The TTAADC was formed in 1979 under the provisions of 7th Schedule of the Constitution and was later elevated under the 6th Schedule of the constitution in 1987.
The council constitute two-third of the state’s territory, which is the home to tribals, who form one-third of the population.
