New Delhi: The official residences of Governors in Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam and Tripura have been renamed as “Lok Bhavan” following communications from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), officials confirmed. The change took effect on Monday in Assam and Tripura and on Tuesday in Mizoram and Nagaland.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the renaming will be implemented once Governor Lt. General K.T. Parnaik (Retd.) returns to station, officials said. Other Northeastern states are yet to adopt the new name for their Raj Bhavans.
An official statement issued in Aizawl noted that the Governor’s Secretariat has formally updated the nomenclature to “Lok Bhavan, Mizoram” with immediate effect, acting on directions from the Governor and the MHA’s notification dated 25 November.
Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu earlier stated that the decision reflects India’s democratic ethos, replacing a name associated with monarchy. Officials added that all stationery, signage, websites and social media handles of the Governor’s establishment in Agartala will now reflect the new identity.
The former Raj Bhavan in Tripura – the 108-year-old Pushpabanta Palace, later Kunjaban Palace – was constructed in 1917 by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur. The Governor’s residence was shifted to the Capital Complex in 2018.
Earlier this year, the state government signed a lease agreement to convert the heritage property into a five-star hotel, a move that has prompted protests from several local organisations, including those affiliated with the Tipra Motha Party.
