In a setback to the Tripura government, the Supreme Court has ordered the State Election Commission to conduct Village Committee elections in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) by September, ending a 10-year delay.

The directive came on a writ petition filed by Tipra Motha Party founder and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Deb Barman, who accused authorities of failing to hold the overdue polls and sought immediate intervention from the Election Commission of India and the state poll body.

Following the order, Pradyot said the elections would begin in the first week of September and be completed within the same month, as stated in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court by the State Election Commission.

He described the decision as a major relief for the people of TTAADC, saying the long-awaited polls would help restore democratic governance and enable development in the region.