The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice in response to a plea seeking immediate directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Tripura State Election Commission for holding the long-pending Village Committee elections under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Act, 1994.

Sharing the update, Tripura royal scion and Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma said that a couple of months ago, he had moved the apex court demanding the conduct of the Village Committee elections.

He pointed out that despite the expiry of the tenure of the Village Committees, polls have not been conducted within the stipulated timeframe, thereby depriving the tribal population of their constitutional right to local self-governance.

The apex court has granted four weeks’ time to the ECI, the Tripura Election Commission, and the State Government to explain the reasons for the delay in conducting the elections.