In a rare display of unity cutting across party lines, the Tripura Legislative Assembly on Wednesday resolved to recommend advancing the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections from April 13 to April 12.
The decision was taken after legislators raised concerns that the originally scheduled polling date coincides with Buisu, a major traditional festival of the state’s tribal communities, as well as the Bengali New Year. Members argued that holding elections on such an important cultural occasion could significantly impact voter turnout and participation.
During the Assembly session, leaders from all major political parties—including Congress, CPI(M), Tipra Motha, IPFT, and BJP—expressed their support for the change. Sudip Roy Barman emphasized that the overlap with festivals could inconvenience voters, while Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury and Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma echoed similar concerns.
Chief Minister Manik Saha acknowledged the constraints of the election schedule but agreed that the matter should be taken up with the State Election Commission to ensure that democratic participation is not affected by cultural observances.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath suggested adjusting Assembly proceedings to facilitate the decision, while Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, speaking on behalf of the House, confirmed that a unanimous resolution had been adopted to formally request the change to April 12.
In addition to the polling date, members also discussed the counting schedule. Several legislators proposed advancing the counting of votes to April 16 instead of April 17 to avoid overlap with elections in other states.
The resolution now awaits consideration by the State Election Commission, which will take the final call on revising the election schedule.
