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Ram Pada Jamatia Elected Unopposed as Tripura Assembly Speaker

Former Minister and BJP legislator Ram Pada Jamatia has been elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly. His election follows the passing of the previous Speaker, Biswa Bandhu Sen, in December 2023. Jamatia, a two-time MLA and former Tribal Welfare Minister, becomes only the second tribal leader to hold this post in the state's history. The election occurred during the ongoing budget session, where a major tax-free deficit budget for 2026-27 was also presented.

Key Points: Ram Pada Jamatia Elected Unopposed Tripura Speaker

  • Unopposed election
  • Fills vacancy after Speaker's demise
  • Second tribal leader in the role
  • Budget session underway
  • Tax-free deficit budget presented
2 min read

Former Minister Ram Pada Jamatia elected unopposed as Tripura Assembly Speaker

Former Minister Ram Pada Jamatia elected unopposed as Tripura Assembly Speaker after the demise of Biswa Bandhu Sen. Details on the budget session.

"Jamatia was the sole candidate to file nomination papers, and with no other contenders, he was declared elected unopposed. - Acting Speaker Ram Prasad Paul"

Agartala, March 18

Former Minister and senior BJP legislator Ram Pada Jamatia was on Wednesday elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Tripura Assembly.

After the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies -- Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) -- proposed his name on March 12, Jamatia filed his nomination for the Speaker's post.

The election for the new Speaker became necessary following the demise of the sitting Speaker, Biswa Bandhu Sen, on December 26 last year. Sen, a four-time MLA, passed away at the age of 72 at a private hospital in Bengaluru after undergoing medical treatment for more than four-and-a-half months.

Acting Speaker Ram Prasad Paul announced in the House that Jamatia was the sole candidate to file nomination papers, and with no other contenders, he was declared elected unopposed.

Subsequently, Chief Minister Manik Saha, Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, Congress Legislature Party leader and former Minister Birajit Sinha, TMP and IPFT leaders and Chief Whip Kalyani Saha Roy, along with other leaders, escorted Jamatia to the Speaker's chair.

Jamatia earlier served as Minister of Tribal Welfare and Industry and Commerce (Handloom, Handicrafts and Sericulture) from 2022 to 2023.

He is the second tribal leader to serve as Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly since the Northeastern state attained full statehood in 1972, following Sudhanwa Debbarma, who held the post from 1978 to 1983.

A two-time MLA from the Bagma Assembly constituency in Gomati district (2018 and 2023), the 69-year-old tribal leader joined the BJP in 2017 after retiring from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). Earlier, he worked in the Tripura Jute Mill.

Meanwhile, the Budget session of the Tripura Assembly commenced on March 13 with Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu delivering the customary address to the House.

Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy presented a tax-free deficit budget of Rs 34,212.31 crore for the financial year 2026-27 on March 16. The budget allocates higher funds to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), as the 30-member tribal autonomous body is set to go to crucial polls on April 13.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath earlier stated that three important bills were introduced in the Assembly to establish new institutions -- Tripura Women's University, Tripura University of Health Sciences, and Tripura Technical University. The Budget session will continue until March 25, the minister added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good to see a senior and experienced person taking the chair. His background in ONGC and as a minister should help. But the real test will be managing the opposition and ensuring smooth functioning, especially with the budget session on. 🤞
R
Rohit P
The article mentions he is only the second tribal Speaker since 1972. That's quite surprising and frankly, not a great record for a state with a significant tribal population. Hope this election marks a more inclusive trend.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the political alliances at play here with BJP, TMP, and IPFT all supporting him. The focus now should be on the budget and those new universities. A Women's University is a fantastic initiative!
V
Vikram M
Wishing Shri Jamatia all the best. The Speaker's role is crucial for democracy. Being elected unopposed saves time and political energy, which can now be focused on the state's development, especially the TTAADC polls and the new budget.
K
Kavya N
A tax-free budget of over 34k crore and plans for new universities sound promising on paper. Hope the Speaker ensures these bills are debated properly and not just rushed through. Accountability is key! 🙏

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