Agartala, March 18, 2026: In a rare show of unanimity cutting across party lines, the Tripura Legislative Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution to pre-pone the election to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) from April 13 to April 12, citing a clash with multiple festivals.

The issue was raised during Zero Hour by Congress MLA and former minister Sudip Roy Barman, who pointed out that the State Election Commission (SEC) had scheduled the polls on April 13, coinciding with Buisu and other indigenous festivals as well as Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year.

“On this very day we have festive Buisu and other festivals of indigenous people, along with our Bengali New Year. We must adopt a unanimous resolution to submit to the SEC,” he said, urging all parties to support preponement of the poll date.

Roy Barman also suggested reconsidering the counting date of April 17, arguing that early declaration of results could have implications for elections in states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury supported the proposal, noting that even the ruling BJP had approached the SEC on the matter. Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma and IPFT leader and Cooperation Minister Shukla Charan Noatia also echoed similar concerns, emphasizing the significance of the festivals for both tribal and Bengali communities.

Chief Minister Manik Saha, however, highlighted the tight election schedule, stating that any delay could disrupt the constitutional timeline and necessitate administrative arrangements. “The schedule is tight… If we delay, then an Administrator has to be appointed. There are three festivals and many have requested, so we can suggest to the SEC,” he said.

Responding to this, Roy Barman maintained that as per constitutional provisions, a caretaker Chief Executive Member (CEM) could continue, and appointment of an administrator was not mandatory.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath called for a collective decision, even proposing to shorten the ongoing Assembly session to facilitate urgent discussions. Tipra Motha MLA Chitta Ranjan Debbarma suggested April 12 as a feasible alternative, a proposal that received broad support, including from the Opposition.

Finally, Transport Minister and Cabinet spokesperson Sushanta Chowdhury announced that the House had unanimously agreed to request the SEC to advance the polling date to April 12 while also considering a revised counting schedule.

The resolution reflects a consensus among political stakeholders to ensure that democratic participation is not hindered by major cultural and religious observances in the state.