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The Chakma Autonomous District Council is an autonomous district council of Mizoram State in India. Its headquarters is at Kamalanagar, Mizoram.Located at western part of Mizoram. The Chakma Autonomous District Council was formed under the Sixth schedule of the Constitution of India on 29 April 1972. The Council is the replication of the state assembly and exercises executive power over specially allotted departments. It is one of the three Autonomous District Councils of Mizoram state in North-East India. It is an autonomous council for ethnic Chakma people living in South-Western Mizoram bordering Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The population grew from 34,528 in 2001to 40,265 (as of 2008). Chakma peoples are demanding Chakma Autonomous District Assembly “CHAKMALAND” as a Union Territory. The surface area of the Chakma Autonomous District Council is 686.25 sq.km. The total Chakma population of Mizoram is estimated to be more than 100,000 (as per the 2011 census – 96,972). The entire population of Chakma Autonomous District Council belongs to schedule tribe. The total population of CADC is 43,528 as per 2011 census out of which 70% of it is dependent on agriculture.The headquarters of Chakma Autonomous District Council is Kamalanagar, which means the orange land in Changhma(chakma language). It is also known as Chawngte-C. It is parted into Kamalanagar -1,2,3 & 4. There is only one college in CADC called as Kamalanagar Govt.College located at Kamalanagar-2(Randokpur) . Kamalanagar is located on the north-eastern corner of C.A.D.C and on the bank of Tuichawng river. On the east of Kamalanagar town i.e.on the other bank of Toizong (Tuichawng) there stands two Mizo villages known as Chawngte P and Chawngte L (under the region of Kamalanagar Town also dependent of Kamalanagar). On the eastern bank of Toizong is divided by the rivulet, Chawngte Lui (PONSURY as called by the Chakmas) the northern bank falling under Lunglei General district and the southern bank under Lai autonomous District Council. CADC is headed by a Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Executive Members (EMs). The present CEM is Rasik Mohan Chakma. He is appointed on 18th January 2019. Chakma Autonomous District Council has a total of 24 Members of District Council (MDC), out of which 20 MDCs are elected and 4 MDCs are nominated.In 1954 the central and Assam governments granted regional council to the Lakhers (aka Mara) and the Pawis (aka Lai) in the name of Pawi Lakher Regional Council. Large number of Chakmas also fell into the PLRC’s geographic boundary. However, the PLRC could not function from day one. The main reason was that there was no common language among the three tribal communities namely Chakma, Mara and Lai which they could understand.
The first meeting was reportedly held without understanding each other’s language. Mizo was used as official language but Chakmas and Maras could hardly understand anything, and ultimately in 1958 the Maras decided to boycott the Regional Council’s meetings. Thus in 1972, the PLRC was divided into three regional councils and upgraded to 3 district councils for Maras, Lais and Chakmas. The majority of the people of Chakma Autonomous District Council are Theravada Buddhist. They have been following this religion from a long time ago. Majority of the Chakmas in Mizoram take up farming as their occupation. This occupation is inherited from their ancestors. They mainly grow rice, vegetables and fruits, etc. Rice is considered as the staple food of the Chakmas living in Chakma Autonomous District Council.