AGARTALA | Elections to 21 urban local bodies (ULBs), including the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), in Tripura will be held on November 27, with counting of votes scheduled for December 2, State Election Commissioner Pradip Kumar Chakravarty announced.

The elections will cover 345 wards spread across 17 subdivisions in eight districts of the state. Among the civic bodies, the Agartala Municipal Corporation has the highest number of wards at 51. Announcing the poll schedule at a press conference on Friday, Chakravarty said the State Election Commission had taken all relevant factors into consideration before finalising the election dates.

According to the schedule, the filing of nomination papers began on October 31 and will continue until November 6. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on November 7, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 10. Polling will be held on November 27, followed by counting on December 2. The tenure of the existing urban local bodies is scheduled to end on December 9.

Over 6.29 lakh voters eligible

A total of 6,29,903 voters are eligible to participate in the civic elections. Of these, 3,21,745 are women and 3,08,115 are men, according to the State Election Commission. The Agartala Municipal Corporation, with 51 wards, will be the largest civic body among the 21 going to the polls.

The commission has completed several preparatory measures to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections. These include the first-level checking of electronic voting machines (EVMs). Chakravarty said the commission was taking necessary steps to ensure that the elections were conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner.

The November 27 polls are expected to be a significant political exercise for the state’s major parties, with the results likely to provide an indication of their organisational strength and support at the urban grassroots level.