New Delhi/Agartala, June 16: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Tripura State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct elections to the Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in a single phase on September 27, bringing clarity to the long-pending electoral process in the tribal council areas.
A bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi issued the directive while hearing a petition seeking immediate conduct of the overdue elections. The court accepted a proposal put forward by Attorney General R. Venkataramani, appearing for the Tripura State Election Commission, who suggested that the elections be held in a single phase instead of multiple phases.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Tripura Government, expressed support for the proposal. The bench also observed that conducting the elections in a single phase would be administratively more efficient and would reduce the requirement for deployment of security personnel over an extended period.
In its order, the apex court noted that all parties were largely in agreement regarding the election schedule and that the differences over proposed dates were minimal. “As the parties are in substantial agreement and the difference between the proposed dates is merely one month, we direct that the elections to the Village Committees be conducted in terms of the election schedule proposed in the affidavit,” the bench stated.
The court further directed the State Election Commission and all concerned authorities to make every effort to adhere to the proposed schedule and complete the election process within the stipulated timeframe. It also made it clear that no further extension would be granted.
The matter reached the Supreme Court through a petition filed by Tipra Motha Party founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, who alleged that authorities had failed to conduct the Village Committee elections despite the expiry of their tenure. The petition sought directions to the Election Commission of India and the Tripura State Election Commission to immediately initiate the electoral process under the provisions of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council Act, 1994.
The court’s directive is expected to pave the way for the restoration of elected local governance structures in the tribal areas governed by the TTAADC and bring an end to uncertainty surrounding the long-delayed elections.
