Agartala: BJP’s oldest alliance partner in Tripura, the Indigenous Peoples’ Front of Twipra (IPFT), has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to introduce a separate enumeration form for residents of Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) areas for the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.IPFT general secretary Swapan Debbarma said a common form does not reflect the distinct legal framework applicable to Sixth Schedule areas. He said the party submitted a memorandum to the ECI through the chief electoral officer (CEO) last month, seeking specific provisions in the enumeration form to clearly distinguish between ADC and non-ADC regions.The party said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, does not apply to Sixth Schedule areas, resulting in different eligibility conditions for citizenship and permanent residency that should be accounted for during voter registration.Debbarma said the Tripura CEO held discussions with a four-member IPFT delegation, during which the party submitted a detailed memorandum on the SIR process in ADC areas. He added that the ECI’s principal secretary informed the party that, as a recognised political party, it could take up the matter with the Tripura CEO, who would submit a report to the commission.Debbarma said the IPFT has directed its divisional committees to mark World Indigenous Peoples’ Day on August 9 with local programmes. He also said the party has postponed its proposed sit-in for Tipraland Demand Day at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 23 amid ongoing student protests in the capital.
