Agartala, August 31, 2026: The long-awaited elections to the Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) will finally be held on September 28, 2026, the Tripura State Election Commission (SEC) announced on Monday.
State Election Commissioner P.K. Chakraborty announced the election programme during a press meet, setting the stage for polling across all 587 Village Committees under the TTAADC areas.
The announcement brings an end to a prolonged wait for elected Village Committees, whose previous five-year tenure had expired in March 2021.
587 Village Committees, 4,597 Seats
According to the election schedule announced by the SEC, polling will cover 587 Village Committees, comprising 2,634 constituencies and 4,597 seats.
The elections will be conducted across 52 Rural Development Blocks, covering the relevant areas under the TTAADC.
The SEC has identified 1,550 polling stations for the election.
Around 9,61,977 voters are eligible to participate in the Village Committee elections. The electorate includes 4,82,041 male voters, 4,79,930 female voters and six third-gender voters.
Polling on September 28
Voting will take place on September 28 from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Unlike many other elections in the state, voting for the Village Committee elections will be conducted using ballot papers and ballot boxes rather than Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), in accordance with the applicable electoral framework for the Village Committees.
The SEC has stated that arrangements will be made to maintain the secrecy and integrity of the ballot.
Election Schedule
The formal election notification will be issued on September 1, 2026, marking the beginning of the nomination process.
The major dates announced by the State Election Commission are:
Election notification: September 1
Nomination filing: September 1–8
Scrutiny of nominations: September 9
Last date for withdrawal: September 11
Polling: September 28Re-poll,
if required: October 3
Counting of votes: October 5
Completion of election process: October 8
Counting is scheduled to begin from 7:00 AM on October 5.
Nearly 10 Lakh Voters to Decide Village-Level Representatives
With nearly 9.62 lakh voters eligible to participate, the Village Committee elections represent one of the largest grassroots electoral exercises in the tribal autonomous areas of Tripura.
The Village Committees perform important functions at the local level and are intended to provide an elected institutional structure for village governance within the TTAADC areas.
The elections are therefore significant not only politically but also from the perspective of local administration and grassroots representation.
Administrative Machinery Put in Place
The State Election Commission has outlined a large administrative framework for conducting the polls.
District Magistrates and Collectors of all eight districts have been designated as District Election Officers.
Officials of the 52 RD Blocks will also play important roles in the electoral process.
The SEC has appointed 231 Assistant Returning Officers and 373 Sector Officers, while approximately 8,500 polling personnel are expected to be deployed for the election.
Election observers and other officials will also be involved in monitoring the electoral process.
Security Arrangements
Security arrangements have also emerged as a major component of the election preparations.
The SEC said discussions have already been held with the police administration regarding security deployment and the conduct of polling in sensitive areas.
Adequate security forces are expected to be deployed to ensure peaceful voting and maintain law and order during the election process.
Model Code of Conduct Comes Into Force
With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect immediately in the areas covered by the Village Committee elections.
Political parties, candidates and other stakeholders will therefore have to comply with the rules governing election campaigns and conduct throughout the electoral process.
Elections Delayed Since 2021
The Village Committee elections have been pending for several years.
The previous elected Village Committees completed their five-year term in March 2021. Although the State Election Commission began preparations for holding fresh elections, the process was subsequently affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and later legal developments.
The issue eventually reached the Supreme Court, which in June 2026 directed the Tripura State Election Commission to conduct the Village Committee elections in a single phase.
The Supreme Court had earlier been informed about the proposed election timetable and security arrangements. The Court directed the authorities to proceed with the election process without further extension.
A Major Grassroots Political Contest Ahead
The September 28 election is expected to be closely watched across the TTAADC areas, where Village Committees serve as an important layer of grassroots representation.
With 4,597 seats up for election and nearly 9.62 lakh voters eligible to cast their ballots, the contest will involve political parties, local organisations and independent candidates seeking representation at the village level.
The election will also provide an opportunity for voters to elect representatives after a prolonged period without regularly elected Village Committees.
The State Election Commission has expressed confidence that the administrative, electoral and security arrangements will enable the polls to be conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
For thousands of villages across the TTAADC areas, September 28 will therefore mark a significant return to elected village-level representation.
