Agartala: The State Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), with polling set to be held on April 13.
According to State Election Commissioner Manoj Kumar, the official notification will be issued on March 18, while the last date for filing nominations has been fixed as March 25. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 26, followed by the withdrawal deadline on March 28. Counting of votes is scheduled for April 17, and in case of re-poll, it will be conducted on April 16. The entire election process is expected to conclude by April 18.
A total of 9,62,697 voters have been declared eligible to participate in the elections, making it a politically significant exercise in the state. Of these, 4,82,025 are male voters, 4,80,666 are female, and six belong to the third gender category.
With the announcement of the poll schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect. Kumar stated that detailed guidelines have been issued, directing political parties, government authorities and other stakeholders to strictly comply. He added that any government decision that could influence voters in TTAADC areas will require prior approval from the Commission.
Meanwhile, Director General of Police Anurag said elaborate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure peaceful polling. A total of 1,257 polling stations have been identified and categorised based on vulnerability assessment. Of these, 311 polling stations fall under the ‘A’ category, indicating high criticality, 693 under the ‘B’ category, reflecting security concerns, and 253 are classified as normal.
“Security deployment will be proportional to the sensitivity of each polling station, with increased force presence in critical areas,” he said.
Around 11,000 personnel drawn from Tripura Police, Tripura State Rifles and Central Armed Police Forces will be deployed for election duty. In addition, mobile patrolling teams will be activated, sector officers appointed, and area domination exercises conducted throughout the election period.
All candidates will be provided personal security, while police arrangements for public meetings will be made subject to prior permission. Authorities also confirmed that prosecution will be initiated against anti-social elements to ensure free and fair polling.
Addressing concerns over cross-border threats, the DGP asserted that Tripura has been declared an insurgency-free state and that no underground groups are currently active. He added that the Border Security Force has strengthened vigil along the international border, supported by 15 additional camps set up by the state police as a second line of defence.
To facilitate voter participation, arrangements such as ramps and sheds for elderly voters and persons with disabilities will be ensured by returning officers. The Commission also confirmed that the entire election process will be videographed to maintain transparency.
Earlier, the TTAADC Election Commission had published the final electoral rolls for its 28 constituencies.