Preparations are in their final stages for the upcoming Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in Tripura, with polling scheduled for November 27 and counting of votes on December 2. A total of 6,29,903 electors across the state are eligible to exercise their franchise in the elections, which will cover 21 Municipalities comprising 345 constituencies.
Announcing the election arrangements at a press conference, State Election Commissioner P.K. Chakraborty, accompanied by DGP (In-charge) G.S. Rao and SEC Secretary Anurag Sen, said that the State Election Commission has taken necessary steps to ensure the smooth, transparent and peaceful conduct of the polls. The entire election process is expected to be completed by December 4.
The term of the existing Urban Local Bodies is scheduled to expire on December 9, 2026, prompting the Commission to initiate preparations for the formation of new municipal bodies.
As per the announced schedule, the election notification and public notice will be issued on October 30. Candidates can submit their nomination papers until November 6, followed by scrutiny on November 7. The last date for withdrawal of nominations has been fixed for November 10.
Voting will take place between 7 AM and 4 PM on November 27, while counting will begin at 8 AM on December 2.
Of the total 6,29,903 voters, 3,08,115 are male, 3,21,743 are female and 45 belong to the third-gender category.
The 345 constituencies include nine seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes, 80 for Scheduled Castes and 256 unreserved seats. A total of 162 constituencies have been reserved for women.
For effective management of the elections, District Magistrates and Collectors of all eight districts have been designated as District Municipal Election Officers. Besides, Sub-Divisional Magistrates from 17 subdivisions have been appointed as Returning Officers. The Commission has also appointed 23 Returning Officers and 81 Assistant Returning Officers to supervise various election-related activities.
The electoral process will be conducted across 783 polling stations. The Commission has also finalized arrangements for 23 counting halls at designated centres across different subdivisions.
Electronic Voting Machines supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), with the approval of the Election Commission of India, will be deployed. The First Level Checking of the machines has already been completed, while commissioning will take place after the final list of candidates is published.
Chakraborty said that adequate security measures are being put in place in coordination with police authorities to maintain law and order throughout the election process. Videography will also be undertaken at key stages, including nomination, scrutiny, withdrawal, EVM commissioning and counting, to ensure transparency.
The Commission had earlier held consultations with recognized national and state political parties on October 14, seeking their suggestions and cooperation. All parties assured their support for conducting free, fair and peaceful elections.
It may be recalled that the previous municipal elections in Tripura were held in 2021 across 20 Municipalities, covering 334 constituencies and 770 polling stations. The polls had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic after the municipal bodies' terms expired on December 18, 2020.
