SC directs Tripura SEC to hold village committee polls alongside TTAADC elections: Pradyot Debbarma

The Supreme Court has directed the Tripura State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct the long-pending Village Committee (VC) elections simultaneously with the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) polls, in a significant development for grassroots governance in the state’s tribal areas.

The directive follows a petition moved by the Tipra Motha Party in October 2025 over the delay in holding the VC elections, which have not been conducted for nearly a decade. The last Village Committee polls were held more than ten years ago.

Reacting to the order on February 10, Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma described the Supreme Court’s direction as a “major victory for grassroots democracy” and for the democratic rights of the Tiprasa people.

He said the apex court’s order marks a turning point for local self-governance in the Sixth Schedule areas of Tripura, where Village Committees play a crucial role in administering village-level affairs under the TTAADC.

Debbarma stated that the state government and the State Election Commission are now bound to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive and schedule the VC polls in coordination with the TTAADC elections. He also alleged that earlier, when the matter was before the Tripura High Court, the authorities did not act on the issue.

The Village Committee elections, considered essential for grassroots governance in tribal areas, have remained pending for years, leading to dissatisfaction among sections of the tribal population. The Supreme Court’s direction is expected to restore elected village-level governance and bring administrative clarity to the region.