Chakma Autonomous District Council is one of the three autonomous district councils of Mizoram. Prior to 1972 it was a part under the Pwi-Lakher Regional Council. It was created on 29th April 1972 under the Sixth Schedule to the constitution of India by trifurcating the Pwi-Lakher Regional Council into Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC), Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) and Chakma Autonomous District Council. While MADC remained under a single district of Saiha, CADC and LADC were accommodated under Lawngtlai district with the district headquarters at Lawngtlai.

The then Chakma leaders of the Mizo District Council and Pwi-Lakher Regional Council actively engaged themselves with the Government of Assam and the Government at the Centre for the creation of an autonomous council for the Chakmas of Mizoram with the inclusion of all Chakma inhabited areas which presently remains outside CADC. Unfortunately only the portion under Pwi-Lakher Regional council got considered. Out of that also many Chakma inhabited villages along the eastern bank of river Toijong (Tuichawng) were not considered under CADC. Thus two-third of the Chakmas of Mizoram had to remain outside the Council.

CADC falls between 21⁰58’ (N) and 22⁰45’ (N) and between 92⁰30’ (E) and 92⁰45’ (E). The tropic of cancer passes over it and its climate is hot and humid. The gentle foothills of the mighty Himalayas adorn its landscape. The two main rivers – Toijong and Thega – weave along the eastern and the western sides respectively forming its natural boundaries. In the north it is bounded by Lunglei District, Myanmar in the South, LADC in the east and Bangladesh in the west.

CADC so far witnessed 8 (eight) General Elections. The first was held on 26th December1972. Initially there were only 8 (eight) MDC constituencies. Today as many as 20 constituencies are contested. The council started functioning with only some departments, namely General Administration, Education, Forest, Land Revenue & Settlement, Legislative, Judiciary and etc. With the enhancement of power in 1994 the council was entrusted with as many as 19 subjects/departments. DRDA and ICDS were also included but with a rider, subject to approval from the Central Government, they being centrally sponsored programmes. Again, in the year 2011, a gazette notification of the Government of Mizoram reviewed the powers of the three Autonomous District Councils by entrusting all the functions so entrusted with proportionate plan-allocation, which were so far executed by the offices of the State Government in the Council areas.