Photo Courtesy: nenews
Agartala: Tripura is mobilizing over 15,000 security personnel for the September 28 Village Committee elections. This marks the first time these tribal area polls have occurred in a decade. Security forces have already started area-wise patrolling and route marches across the state. District Superintendents of Police and other senior officers are currently overseeing all operations to keep the peace.
The force includes 74 companies of the Central Armed Police Force, totaling roughly 5,000 members. Another 10,000 officers from the Tripura State Rifles and Tripura Police will join them. A senior police official said on Tuesday, "Of the 74 CAPF companies requisitioned for the elections, 47 have already reached the state, while the remaining contingents are expected to arrive by Wednesday."
Elections cover 4,597 seats across 2,634 constituencies within the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council. Many races ended early. The Tipra Motha Party won 1,557 seats without a fight. The BJP claimed another 81 seats uncontested. Voters will head to the polls for the remaining 2,954 seats in 44 blocks. A total of 9,820 candidates remain in the race after 1,069 withdrew by September 11.
State Election Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Chakraborty finalized plans during a Monday meeting. Attendees included Tripura DGP G.S. Rao, IGP Manchak Ipper, and Commission Secretary Anurag Sen. The Tripura State Rifles hold a proven track record. They provided security for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, and Himachal Pradesh. They also guarded the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Updated at 16th September 2026 at 1:49pm
The Village Committees will oversee 587 units under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council. While 44 blocks remain in the mix, eight districts are gearing up for the push, including elections for seats spanning all 52 blocks of the district council.
The commission is tightening the leash ahead of the vote. Starting at 4 pm on September 26 and running through 6 am on September 28, a mandatory 48-hour silence period kicks in. The state is blocking all election-related debates, opinion polls, and canvassing across print, social, and digital media. Officials warned that violating these bans under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Representation of the People Act invites stiff penalties.
Authorities are also enforcing a strict noise curfew. Loudspeakers are banned outside the 6 am to 10 pm window to spare residents the racket. On the ground, assigned election observers are now shadowing the process, tasked with policing transparency and reporting directly to the commission.
Updated at 16th September 2026 at 5:49pm
The commission expanded the legal scope of the upcoming election restrictions to include the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, alongside existing provisions. Officials have ordered district heads to guarantee basic amenities at every polling station, specifically mandating access to drinking water, electricity, and essential furniture for election staff and voters.
Observers tasked with overseeing the process now have clear marching orders to ensure uniformity and transparency across all districts. These officials must file formal reports directly to the commission following the close of polls to verify that all voting centers adhered to established rules.
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