Agartala, March 17 (IANS). The Tripura State Election Commission on Tuesday announced the election dates for the 30-member Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). According to the Commission, elections will be held on April 13, due to which political activity has intensified in the tribal dominated areas of the state.
State Election Commissioner Manoj Kumar said that the notification will be issued on March 18. The last date for filing nominations has been fixed as March 25. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on March 26, while candidates will be able to withdraw their names till March 28. Counting of votes will be done on April 17.
With the announcement of elections, the code of conduct has been implemented with immediate effect in TTAADC areas.
According to the Commission, this time a total of 9,62,697 voters are eligible to vote, which includes 4,80,666 women voters. Director General of Police Anurag said that strict security arrangements will be made to conduct the elections in a fair and peaceful manner.
Since 2021, this council is under the control of TTAADC, which is headed by Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma. This party is an ally of the ruling BJP.
The council consists of 28 elected and 2 nominated members. In the 2021 elections, TMP wrested power from the Left Front by winning 18 seats, while the BJP won 9 out of 11 seats and an independent candidate also won.
TTAADC administers about two-thirds of the state’s total area of 10,491 square kilometres, home to about 12.16 lakh people. Of these, about 84 percent population belongs to the tribal community.
This council was established on 23 August 1984 with the objective of ensuring the rights, welfare and development of the tribal community. Elections were held for the first time in 1985.
Regarding the upcoming elections, apart from BJP, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, TMP, opposition parties, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Indian National Congress have also intensified their campaigns to woo the tribal voters.
Tribal people constitute about one-third of Tripura’s total population of 42 lakh and their role in the politics of the state is considered very important.
–IANS
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