Guwahati/Agartala – Dec 1 (LatestNewsX) – Starting Monday, the state governor’s houses in Assam and Tripura will no longer be called “Raj Bhavan.” Instead, they will be known as “Lok Bhavan,” according to officials.
The rest of the northeastern states have not yet adopted the new title for their governors’ residences. A post from Assam’s “Lok Bhavan” page on X explained that the change follows a 2024 Governors’ Conference and a November 25 Ministry of Home Affairs communique urging that all state governor offices be renamed “Lok Bhavan” and all lieutenant governor offices be called “Lok Niwas.”
“The office of the Governor shall henceforth be referred to as ‘Lok Bhavan’ and the office of the Lieutenant Governor as ‘Lok Niwas.’ Raj Bhavan Assam is renamed and shall henceforth be referred to as Lok Bhavan, Assam,” the post read.
Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu said the decision reflects respect for democracy. He added that ordinary citizens will be able to visit Lok Bhavan during appointed hours. “With the name Raj Bhavan, there was an impression that it belonged to a royal dynasty or a king. Now that democracy prevails and governments are elected through a democratic system, that’s why Raj Bhavan has been renamed Lok Bhavan,” he explained.
An official confirmed that from now on, the governor’s residence in Agartala will be called Lok Bhavan in all official matters. “The official letterheads and all other papers relating to the Governor’s house will also have ‘Lok Bhavan’ instead of ‘Raj Bhavan.’ Name plates, signage at the gates, the website, and social media will all be updated accordingly,” the official said.
West Bengal made the same change on Saturday, November 29, renaming its governor’s house as Lok Bhavan. The historic Pushpabanta (or Pushpavanta) Palace, also known as Kunjaban Palace, had served as Tripura’s Raj Bhavan until 2018. Built in 1917 by then‑king Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur, the palace was later moved to the capital complex on the city’s outskirts. Earlier this year, the Tripura government leased the 108‑year‑old building to a private company for conversion into a five‑star hotel.
This proposal sparked protests from various groups, including the front wings of the ruling BJP’s ally Tipra Motha Party, who opposed the privatization of the iconic palace.
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