Suppressed Voices: The Long Delay in Tripura's Village Committee Elections

The Supreme Court is gearing up to hear a critical petition regarding the pending elections for Tripura's village committees, according to Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma. Slated for later this month, this legal move seeks to address an electoral delay that has persisted since March 2021.

Elections to the 587 village committees within the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) have been on hold, raising questions about democratic processes in this region. Debbarma highlighted the significance of the upcoming court date, viewing it as a milestone in addressing one of the longest electoral delays in India's history.

The Tripura High Court had previously instructed the State Election Commission and the state government to execute these elections by November 2022. Yet, various unforeseen issues have thwarted these directives. Elections to the TTAADC are now tentatively scheduled for early next year.

(With inputs from agencies.)