Tripura’s former chief minister Manik Sarkar on Saturday raised allegation against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of obstructing the Left Front candidates from filing their nomination papers for the coming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) village council elections slated to be held on September 28.
Polling will be conducted at 4,597 seats of 587 village committees on September 28.
“In some places especially at Jirania and Mohanpur subdivisions (West Tripura district), opposition party candidates are being stopped from filing their nominations. Unlike previous elections, people are attempting to overcome the obstacles,” Sarkar said.
On Saturday, the Left Front demanded that the state Election Commission deploy central armed police forces across all constituencies, while alleging a rise in political violence against Left candidates.
Filing of nominations by the candidates will have to be completed by September 8. Their papers will be scrutinised on September 9.
The candidates, if they wish, could withdraw their nominations by September 11.
If any repoll is required, it will be held on October 3.
Votes will be counted on October 5.
{{/usCountry}}Votes will be counted on October 5.
{{/usCountry}}A total of 961,977 electorates were enrolled to exercise their franchise on polling day from 7am to 4pm. Of the total, 482,041 are male electorates, 479,930 are female electorates and the remaining six are third genders.
The five-year term of the elected Village Committees ended in 2021 but the election could not be conducted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.