Counting of votes for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections will be held on Friday across eight districts under stringent security arrangements, officials said.

The high-stakes election has seen a triangular contest, with the Tipra Motha Party, led by Pradyot Debbarma, aiming to retain power in the council that governs nearly 70 per cent of Tripura’s geographical area. The BJP, despite being an ally of TMP, contested the polls independently and is seeking to capture control, while the CPI(M)-led Left Front is attempting a comeback after its 2021 defeat.

Polling for 20 of the 30 seats in the council was held on April 12, recording a voter turnout of 83.5 per cent, higher than the 81 per cent registered in the previous elections. Two members of the council are nominated by the governor.

State Election Commission Secretary Anurag Sen said counting will begin at 8 am at 17 locations and is expected to conclude by early afternoon. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) have been imposed around counting centres to maintain law and order.

A total of 173 candidates, including those from BJP, TMP, CPI(M), and Congress, are in the fray. In the 2021 elections, TMP secured a majority by winning 18 seats, while the BJP won nine. The Left Front failed to win any seat, marking a major political shift in the tribal areas of the state.