Agartala, August 25: In a significant victory for Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, the Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Tripura State Election Commission, directing them to respond on the long-pending Village Committee (VC) elections under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Act, 1994.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice N.V. according to Debbarma has granted four weeks’ time to the union government, ECI, the State Election Commission, and the Tripura government to explain the reasons behind the delay.
According to Debbarma’s writ petition, the five-year tenure of the elected Village Committees expired on March 7, 2021. Despite repeated assurances and even directions from the Tripura High Court, the elections were not held, which he described as an abdication of statutory duty by the authorities. The last VC elections were held in 2016, depriving the tribal population of their constitutional right to local self-governance for more than five years.
Speaking to NEL, Debbarma welcomed the apex court’s move and said, “Fear of losing election cannot mean you can curtail the democratic rights of the indigenous people of Tripura. For five years no elections were held, and nobody raised a voice. Now, with the Supreme Court’s order, the nation knows how indigenous people were deprived of their rights.”
He added that he had earlier approached the High Court, which directed the state government to act, but the matter faced repeated delays. Frustrated, he finally moved the Supreme Court.
Debbarma further alleged that the BJP-led state government was reluctant to conduct the elections due to fear of losing power. “To fight for my people, if I have to suffer personally, I will not care. I cannot remain silent just to stay in power while the poor indigenous people continue to suffer,” he said.
On whether Tipra Motha will contest the VC polls in alliance with any other party, Debbarma said that the decision would be taken by party president and former MLA Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl.
With the apex court’s intervention, the long-delayed elections in the TTAADC areas may finally move towards resolution, restoring the democratic rights of Tripura’s tribal population.
