Agartala, April 12: Voting for the crucial Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections is underway across all eight districts of the state, with over 50 percent of the 9.62 lakh electorate casting their votes by noon. The polling will determine the fate of 173 candidates contesting for 28 seats in the 30-member council.
The TTAADC, which administers nearly 70 percent of Tripura’s geographical area, is considered the second most important constitutional body in the state after the Assembly. Out of its 30 members, 28 are elected while two are nominated by the state government.
According to State Election Commission officials, polling has largely remained peaceful so far, with no major untoward incidents reported. Since early morning, voters—many dressed in traditional attire—were seen lining up at 1,257 polling stations spread across tribal-dominated regions. Voting will continue until 4 PM.
The election follows a high-voltage campaign marked by intense political rivalry and sporadic clashes. Key contenders include the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the CPI(M)-led Left Front, the Congress, and regional forces like the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). Notably, TMP and IPFT are contesting separately despite being allies of the BJP.
To ensure smooth polling, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place. Over 13,500 personnel, including Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Tripura State Rifles, and state police, have been deployed across the constituencies. Authorities have identified 311 polling stations as highly critical and 693 as vulnerable, necessitating heightened vigilance.
The TTAADC, formed under the Sixth Schedule in 1985, plays a key role in the socio-economic development of tribal communities, who make up nearly one-third of Tripura’s population. The results of the elections are scheduled to be announced on April 17.
