Counting for Tripura Autonomous District Council polls to be held on Friday amid tight security

Amidst tight security measures, the counting of votes for the elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) will be conducted across eight districts on Friday.

The Autonomous District Council (ADC), which governs nearly 70 per cent of Tripura’s geographical area and is home to around 14 lakh people out of the state’s total population of about 40 lakhs.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, an ally of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), contested the election independently and is aiming to wrest control of the council. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front is hoping to regain power after losing the council in 2021, ending its decades-long dominance in the tribal areas.

Polling for 28 of the 30 seats in the autonomous council was held on April 12, recording a voter turnout of 83.50 per cent—higher than the 81 per cent turnout registered in the 2021 elections. The remaining two members are nominated by the Governor.

The State Election Commission (SEC) have so far taken all necessary steps to ensure smooth counting at 17 locations across the state. Required instructions have been issued to all Returning Officers (ROs), said SEC Secretary Anurag Sen.

He said the counting process will begin at 8 AM and is expected to conclude by early afternoon.

While, in order to maintain law and order, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNS have been imposed in and around all counting centres. Foolproof security arrangements have been put in place.

A total of 173 candidates, including nominees from the BJP, TMP, CPI(M), and the Indian National Congress, are in the fray.

In the 2021 TTAADC elections, the TMP secured a clear majority by winning 18 seats with a vote share of 46.70 per cent. The BJP won nine seats with 29.30 per cent of the vote.

The Left Front, which had long dominated the council, failed to win a single seat in 2021.

Meanwhile, re-poll at four polling stations on Thursday including 5 – Nanda Kumar Para JB School of 11-Maharanipur Teliamura (ST) District Council Constituency, 10/3 – Bhatimaidan S.B. School, 10/17 – Ramdeb Thakur Para S.B. School (W/W) and 17/39 – Hirapur S.B. School passed off peacefully.