Tripura State Election Commission has announced November 27 as the polling date for 21 urban local bodies, including Agartala Municipal Corporation. Counting will take place on December 2, with 6.29 lakh voters eligible to participate across 345 wards.
The Tripura State Election Commission on Friday announced the schedule for the 2026 general elections to 21 urban local bodies (ULBs), including the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC). Polling will be held on November 27, while counting of votes is scheduled for December 2, State Election Commissioner P.K. Chakravarti announced.
With the declaration of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into immediate effect across all urban local body areas. The restrictions will apply to political parties, candidates, public functionaries and the state government.
According to the schedule announced by the Commission, the official notification for the municipal elections and public notices by the Returning Officers will be issued on October 30. The last date for filing nomination papers is November 6, while scrutiny of nominations will take place on November 7. Candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations until November 10.
Polling will be conducted between 7 am and 4 pm on November 27. The Commission has kept the remaining period of November 2026 available for repolling or fresh polling wherever necessary. Counting of votes will begin at 8 am on December 2, and the entire election process is expected to be completed by December 4.
The elections will cover 21 urban local bodies across Tripura, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation, municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats. A total of 345 wards or constituencies will go to the polls. Of these, nine seats have been reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs), 80 for Scheduled Castes (SCs), while the remaining 256 seats will remain unreserved. Additionally, 162 seats have been reserved for women.
According to the electoral rolls prepared for the elections, a total of 6,29,903 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. The electorate comprises 3,08,115 male voters, 3,21,743 female voters and 45 voters belonging to the third-gender category. To facilitate voting, the Commission will establish 783 polling stations across the 21 urban local bodies.
The Agartala Municipal Corporation, comprising 51 wards, is the largest urban local body in terms of constituencies. The other municipalities and Nagar Panchayats participating in the elections include Dharmanagar, Panisagar, Kailashahar, Kumarghat, Ambassa, Kamalpur, Khowai, Teliamura, Jirania, Ranirbazar, Mohanpur, Bishalgarh, Bishramganj, Melagarh, Sonamura, Udaipur, Amarpur, Santirbazar, Sabroom and Belonia.
For the smooth conduct of the elections, District Magistrates and Collectors of all eight districts have been appointed as District Municipal Election Officers. They will coordinate and supervise the electoral process in their respective districts.
Meanwhile, Sub-Divisional Magistrates from 17 subdivisions have been appointed as Returning Officers. The Commission has designated a total of 23 Returning Officers and 81 Assistant Returning Officers to manage the election-related responsibilities.
The Commission has also planned arrangements involving election observers, sector magistrates and police sector officers to monitor polling activities and maintain law and order. A total of 23 counting halls will be established at designated counting centres across the respective subdivisions, where votes will be counted under the supervision of Returning Officers.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used throughout the municipal elections. Each machine will consist of a control unit and a ballot unit. The EVMs have been received from Bharat Electronics Limited with the approval of the Election Commission of India, and their first-level checking has already been completed. The Returning Officers will undertake the commissioning of the machines after the final list of contesting candidates is published.
Regarding voter identification, the Commission has decided to adopt the electoral rolls currently in force for the Tripura Legislative Assembly, insofar as they relate to municipal areas. Voters possessing Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) will be identified through those documents. However, voters whose names appear on the electoral rolls will also be allowed to establish their identity through alternative approved documents. A separate order detailing the acceptable identity documents will be issued by the Commission.
Candidates intending to contest the elections can collect nomination forms from the offices of the respective Returning Officers or download them from the Tripura State Election Commission’s official website. However, completed nomination papers must be submitted in person.
The Commission has also prescribed restrictions for the nomination process. A maximum of five persons will be permitted to accompany a candidate while filing nomination papers, and candidates will be allowed to use no more than two light motor vehicles for the purpose.
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With the announcement of the municipal election schedule, political parties and candidates are expected to intensify their preparations for the electoral contest across the state. The State Election Commission has appealed to all political parties, candidates, government officials and members of the public to cooperate in ensuring free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections.
The November 27 polls will determine the composition of 21 urban local bodies across Tripura, with more than 6.29 lakh registered voters set to participate in the democratic exercise.
