The State Election Commission will conduct elections to 21 Urban Local Bodies across Tripura on November 27, 2026, covering 345 constituencies, with counting scheduled for December 2, as the tenure of the existing municipal bodies approaches its expiry on December 9.
At A Glance
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Polling across 21 municipalities and 345 constituencies on November 27.
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Nomination filing closes on November 6; withdrawal ends on November 10.
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Voting will take place from 7 am to 4 pm at 783 polling stations.
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Counting begins at 8 am on December 2
The election will cover 21 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the state, comprising 345 constituencies. The Commission has fixed November 6 as the last date for filing nominations, while candidates can withdraw their candidature until November 10.
Polling will take place from 7 am to 4 pm. If necessary, the authorities will conduct a re-poll or fresh poll on November 30. The counting process will begin at 8 am on December 2, and the Commission must complete the entire election process by December 4.
With the announcement of the schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect in all Urban Local Body areas. It will apply to political parties, candidates, public functionaries and the State Government.
Tripura Municipal Election 2026: Full Poll Schedule
The SEC has announced the following timetable for the general election to the state’s municipal bodies:
| Election-related activities | Date |
|---|---|
| Election notification by SEC | October 30 |
| Public notice by Returning Officers | October 30 |
| Last date for nomination filing | November 6 |
| Scrutiny of nominations | November 7 |
| Last date for withdrawal | November 10 |
| Polling | November 27 |
| Polling hours | 7 am to 4 pm |
| Re-poll/fresh poll, if required | November 30 |
| Counting of votes | December 2 |
| Counting begins | 8 am onwards |
| Completion of election process | December 4 |
The notification and public notice will be issued on October 30. Candidates must submit their nomination papers personally to the concerned Returning Officers within the stipulated period.
21 Municipalities, 345 Constituencies
The upcoming municipal elections will cover 21 municipalities and 345 constituencies across Tripura.
Of the total constituencies, nine are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 80 for Scheduled Castes (SC). The remaining 256 constituencies are unreserved. The Commission has also reserved 162 constituencies for women.
The District Magistrates and Collectors have completed the delimitation and reservation process. They published the final orders in early October under Rules 3A and 4 of the Tripura Municipal (Delimitation of Constituencies) Rules, 1994, along with subsequent amendments.
These orders specify the number of members to be elected from each municipality and the constituencies reserved for SCs, STs and women.
The election authorities have also completed the preparation and publication of electoral rolls for all 345 constituencies. These rolls cover 783 polling stations across the state.
783 Polling Stations and 23 Counting Halls
The Commission has finalised 783 polling stations for the November 27 election. It will establish 23 counting halls at authorised counting centres across the respective subdivisions.
The concerned Returning Officers will directly supervise the counting arrangements.
The SEC will use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) with the approval of the Election Commission of India. Each machine will comprise a Control Unit (CU) and a Ballot Unit (BU).
The First Level Checking (FLC) of the EVMs has already been completed. The Returning Officers will undertake the commissioning process in due course.
23 ROs and 81 Assistant ROs
The District Magistrates of all eight districts will function as District Municipal Election Officers. They will coordinate and supervise election preparations in their respective districts.
The Commission has appointed 23 Returning Officers and 81 Assistant Returning Officers across the state. The Returning Officers will operate in 17 subdivisions.
The Commission has also made specific arrangements for Ranirbazar Municipal Council, Bishramganj Nagar Panchayat, Melagarh Municipal Council and Agartala Municipal Corporation. Additional SDMs, SDMs and ADM & Collector-II have received Returning Officer responsibilities for these areas.
The SEC has initiated the process of appointing senior government officers as election observers. During the previous municipal elections, 22 senior officers served in this capacity.
The administration will also deploy Sector Magistrates and Police Sector Officers to maintain law and order throughout the election process.
Nomination Rules and Voter Identification
Candidates can collect nomination forms from the offices of the respective Returning Officers. They can also download the forms from the SEC’s official website, www.sec.tripura.gov.in.
A candidate may take no more than five persons along while submitting nomination papers. The Commission has also restricted the use of vehicles to a maximum of two light vehicles per candidate.
Voters must produce identification documents at polling stations. The Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC) will serve as the primary identification document. The Commission will permit alternative documents wherever necessary.
Security, Political Parties and Model Code of Conduct
The SEC has directed police authorities to ensure adequate security arrangements for free, fair and peaceful polling.
On October 14, the Commission held a meeting with recognised national and state political parties. It sought their suggestions, cooperation and feedback for conducting the elections smoothly.
The authorities will videograph all important election-related activities. These include EVM commissioning, nomination submission, scrutiny, withdrawal of candidature and counting of votes.
The Model Code of Conduct will remain applicable in the Urban Local Body areas following the announcement of the election schedule.
The Commission has also appealed to political parties, candidates and other stakeholders, including print, electronic, digital and social media organisations, to extend their cooperation.
Municipal Election Background: 2021 and 2026
The upcoming election will take place ahead of the expiry of the existing Urban Local Bodies’ tenure on December 9, 2026.
In the previous general election, Tripura had 20 municipalities and 334 constituencies. These included eight ST-reserved seats, 85 SC-reserved seats and 157 seats reserved for women.
The electorate then stood at 5,94,772, and the authorities operated 770 polling stations. The Commission used EVMs borrowed from the Election Commission of India.
The number of municipal bodies has now increased from 20 to 21, while the number of constituencies has risen from 334 to 345. The polling infrastructure has also expanded from 770 to 783 stations.
The previous municipal elections faced delays after the normal tenure of the local bodies expired on December 18, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SEC subsequently conducted the elections after the pandemic situation improved.
With the November 27 polling date now confirmed, the election machinery has entered the final phase of preparations for the formation of Tripura’s new Urban Local Bodies.
