In a unanimous decision on Wednesday, the Tripura Legislative Assembly resolved to advance the elections for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) by a day, moving the polling date from 13th April to 12th April. 

The move comes in consideration of multiple festivals coinciding with the original election schedule.

The issue was raised during the zero-hour discussion by Congress MLA and former Minister Sudip Roy Barman, who emphasized the clash of electoral dates with significant cultural celebrations, including Buisu, other indigenous festivals, and the Bengali New Year. 

He suggested that advancing the elections would ensure higher participation and prevent scheduling conflicts.

Roy Barman also highlighted the broader political implications, noting that the results, originally set for 17th April, could influence electoral outcomes in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. He proposed delaying the result declaration to avoid any impact on the upcoming state elections in these regions.

Leaders across party lines expressed support for the proposal. CPI(M) Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury confirmed that the ruling BJP had approached the State Election Commission (SEC) to reconsider the date. Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma and IPFT leader and Cooperation Minister Shukla Charan Noatia also backed the advancement, citing the importance of aligning with cultural events.

Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha noted the tight election schedule, which includes the main poll on 13th April, re-poll on 16th April, and counting on 17th April. 
He mentioned that any delay could necessitate the appointment of an administrator, though Congress MLA Roy Barman clarified that under constitutional provisions, the TTAADC could continue under a caretaker CEM without such an appointment.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath suggested that the assembly could expedite its schedule by concluding sessions earlier, moving the House closure from 25th March to 20th March, to facilitate the changes. Tipra Motha MLA Chitta Ranjan Debbarma recommended holding the polls on 12th April, a proposal supported by the Leader of the Opposition, with the counting date rescheduled to 16th April.

Tripura Transport Minister and Cabinet Spokesperson Susanta Chowdhury formally presented the resolution to the Speaker, stating that it had been unanimously agreed upon to pre-pone the ADC elections in view of overlapping tribal and Bengali festivities. The assembly officially adopted the resolution, signaling the SEC to adjust the schedule accordingly.