By Firstdespatch Desk Sep 28, 2026
Agartala, Sept 28 (FD) The CPI(M) has alleged irregularities during polling for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Village Committee elections, including instances of alleged bogus voting, obstruction of opposition candidates and polling agents, and difficulties in accessing polling stations.
Former TTAADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) and senior CPI(M) leader Radhacharan Debbarma alleged that polling agents representing opposition candidates were prevented from entering several polling stations during Monday’s elections.
According to Debbarma, opposition candidates and their representatives had faced difficulties even before the commencement of polling. He alleged that in several areas, including Jirania and Mandai in West Tripura district and parts of Sepahijala district, opposition candidates were allegedly prevented from submitting their nomination papers during the nomination process.
He further claimed that candidates who eventually managed to file their nominations were subsequently facing difficulties in ensuring the presence of their authorised election agents inside polling stations on polling day.
Allegations of Bogus Voting
Debbarma also alleged instances of “chappa” or bogus voting at some polling stations, claiming that reports of such irregularities had emerged from different locations during the early hours of polling.
However, the CPI(M) leader said that, until around 10.30 am, no major untoward incident had been reported from several other areas, indicating that polling in many places was proceeding without significant disruption.
The allegations levelled by the CPI(M) leader could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report. No immediate polling station-wise official confirmation was available regarding the alleged bogus voting or the denial of entry to authorised polling agents.
The Village Committee elections are being held across 587 Village Committees under the TTAADC, covering 4,597 seats in 2,634 constituencies. Voting is being conducted through ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Nearly 9.62 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the elections, according to the schedule announced by the Tripura State Election Commission. FD JK