Tripura Sets Nov 27 Date for 345 Urban Ward Seats
The State Election Commission has scheduled elections for 345 seats across 21 urban local bodies in Tripura on November 27. The Agartala Municipal Corporation is among the bodies going to the polls, and votes will be counted on December 2.
Key dates have been fixed for the process. Election notifications will be issued by the returning officers on Friday, October 30. Nominations close on November 6, with scrutiny on November 7. The window for withdrawing candidature remains open till November 10.
The electoral roll for these polls includes 6,29,903 voters. Of them, 3,21,743 are women, 3,08,115 are men and 45 belong to the third gender. State Election Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Chakraborty made these details public.
All 21 urban local bodies, including the AMC, will complete their terms on December 9. The AMC contributes 51 of the 345 seats. Reserved categories cover 162 seats for women, 80 for Scheduled Castes and nine for Scheduled Tribes.
Administrative arrangements are in place. A total of 23 returning officers and 81 assistant returning officers have been appointed. Polling stations for municipal councils and nagar panchayats have also been finalised by the Urban Development Department, bringing the total to 783 across the AMC, 13 municipal councils and seven nagar panchayats. The final voter list was released on October 15.
On security, DGP G.S. Rao said Central Armed Police Forces will not be deployed in the urban body elections. State police and Tripura State Rifles personnel will be posted in adequate strength to ensure peaceful and impartial voting.
About nine lakh residents live in the 21 urban local body areas across all eight districts, with more than four lakh under the Agartala Municipal Corporation's jurisdiction.
Political parties have already begun gearing up. The BJP, which is in power, the Left Front led by the principal opposition CPI(M), and the Congress have started preparations, and candidate selection is underway. Analysts expect a stiff contest among the leading parties as they seek to expand their influence in the state's towns and cities.