The long-awaited Village Committee elections in Tripura are set to move into the next phase, with the State Election Commission (SEC) expected to announce the poll schedule on August 31, sources said.

The announcement is likely to formally kick-start the electoral process for Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), paving the way for a keen political contest across the ADC areas.

The SEC has already intensified preparations for the elections. As part of the process, the Commission recently organised a training programme for Block Development Officers (BDOs) and Additional BDOs, who are likely to be entrusted with responsibilities as Returning Officers.

During the training, officials were briefed on key aspects of the election process, including election rules, enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, scrutiny of nomination papers, polling arrangements and counting procedures.

The Commission is also expected to hold an all-party meeting soon to discuss various election-related issues and seek the cooperation of political parties for the smooth conduct of the polls.

Meanwhile, the SEC has been consulting Tripura Police regarding the prevailing law-and-order situation in different areas. The authorities are assessing vulnerable locations and identifying sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling areas. Based on the assessment, elaborate security arrangements are likely to be deployed during the election process.

The Village Committee polls carry significant political importance as they are being held after a prolonged gap. The SEC has already completed the preparation and publication of electoral rolls for the Village Committee constituencies.

The announcement of the schedule is expected to trigger increased political activity, with parties likely to accelerate candidate selection, alliance negotiations and grassroots mobilisation in the ADC areas.

The formal election notification will provide the detailed timeline for filing and scrutiny of nominations, withdrawal of candidature, polling and counting of votes.