Sri Vijaya Puram, June 4: Shri TSG Bhasker, Chairman, Campaign Committee of the Andaman & Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), has strongly objected to the Draft Andaman & Nicobar Islands Tribal Council (Preparation of Electoral Rolls and Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2026 and urged the Administration to immediately withdraw the draft and initiate extensive consultations with all stakeholders before proceeding further.
In a detailed representation submitted to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, Shri. Bhasker expressed serious concern that the proposed rules could undermine the traditional governance system of the Nicobarese tribal community, which has been successfully functioning for generations through institutions such as First Captains, Second Captains, Village Captains and customary committees.
Shri. Bhasker stated that the draft rules fail to recognize the vital Tuhet system, the foundation of Nicobarese social and political organization, and have been prepared without meaningful consultation with any of the seven Tribal Councils. He warned that imposing an externally designed electoral framework may divide an otherwise peaceful and homogeneous tribal society along political and factional lines.
He also opposed the proposal for ward-based delimitation, arguing that it is inconsistent with traditional consensus-based governance and may weaken village unity. He highlighted concerns regarding electoral roll preparation, voting rights of displaced tsunami-affected families, exclusion of tribal members residing outside their native villages, and the absence of provisions for postal ballots.
Further objections were raised regarding excessive powers proposed to be vested in administrative authorities, the lack of an independent appellate mechanism for electoral disputes, and contradictions within the draft itself, including references to political party affiliations despite elections being declared non-party based.
Shri. Bhasker emphasized that the Nicobarese community enjoys constitutional and legal protection under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956, and any electoral framework affecting tribal governance must be formulated with utmost sensitivity and full participation of the tribal community.
“The future of traditional tribal self-governance cannot be decided without the voice of the tribal people themselves. The Administration must engage with Tribal Councils, Tuhet representatives, community elders and all stakeholders before finalizing any such legislation,” Shri. Bhasker said.