Agartala, September 9: The electoral process for Tripura’s Village Committees entered a crucial phase on Wednesday as scrutiny of nomination papers began, with 10,936 candidates filing 10,958 nomination papers for 4,597 seats across the tribal council areas.
The high number of nominations comes amid growing political tensions, with allegations of intimidation and sporadic incidents of violence reported in some parts of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) ahead of the September 28 polling.
Tripura State Election Commission Secretary Anurag Sen said scrutiny was underway and the final candidate position would emerge only after the withdrawal process concludes on September 11.
Tipra Motha has submitted the highest number of nominations at 4,371, followed by the CPI(M) with 2,484 and the BJP with 1,974. The IPFT has 486 candidates, Congress 466 and the CPI four.
A total of 1,151 candidates have been fielded by independents, smaller political parties and other unrecognised organisations.
The nomination pattern also indicates that a number of seats could witness limited competition. According to SEC figures, 1,169 seats have received only a single nomination so far, with Tipra Motha accounting for a substantial share.
Meanwhile, three seats have received no nomination from any political party. Two of them are under Mungiakami RD Block and one is under Hezamara RD Block.
The SEC has stressed that the presence of a single nominee does not immediately mean that the candidate has been elected unopposed. Such a declaration can be made only after completion of scrutiny and the statutory withdrawal period.
Sen said the commission had received no specific complaint regarding the filing of nomination papers and maintained that the process had been carried out fairly. Complaints concerning incidents outside the formal nomination process have been referred to police for appropriate action, he said.
The clarification comes amid claims by opposition parties that some of their candidates were allegedly obstructed or intimidated while attempting to participate in the election process in parts of the TTAADC.
Tensions within the ruling alliance also surfaced on Tuesday after IPFT general secretary Swapan Debbarma was allegedly attacked in Hezamara.
IPFT leaders claimed that supporters of Tipra Motha were behind the alleged assault and that Debbarma’s vehicle was vandalised. He was later taken to GBP Hospital for medical treatment.
IPFT Minister Sukla Charan Noatia condemned the alleged incident and appealed to political parties and their supporters to maintain restraint and uphold a peaceful democratic process.
The incident has drawn attention because IPFT and Tipra Motha are partners in the ruling alliance, despite differences between the two parties on several political and administrative issues.
With polling approaching, security arrangements have become another key concern. The SEC has requested additional central forces to ensure peaceful voting across the tribal council areas.
Sen said 24 companies of central forces were initially confirmed, with additional forces subsequently sanctioned. More personnel are expected following requests made to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Village Committee elections are being held after almost a decade, following a Supreme Court judgment in a case filed by Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma.
The elections cover 587 Village Committees, 2,634 constituencies and 4,597 seats across the TTAADC areas. Polling will take place on September 28, while counting is scheduled for October 5.
The final electoral picture will become clearer after scrutiny and withdrawal are completed. Political parties are expected to step up campaigning thereafter, while the election authorities will face the task of maintaining law and order and ensuring adequate security throughout the poll process.
