Agartala:Elections for over 200 seats in municipal bodies of Tripura began at 7 am. The Tripura State Election Commission (SEC) had announced the election to 20 urban local bodies, including Agartala Municipal Corporation in all the eight districts in the state.
In all, 785 candidates have completed their poll campaign on November 23 for the civic body elections. According to State Election Commission, candidates of all the political parties have already completed their door-to-door campaign and public meetings across the state.
However, this year the state has witnessed stray incidents during the campaign. The opposition parties, including CPM, All India Trinamool Congress and Congress, have alleged the role of the ruling BJP behind the attacks.
The opposition parties have also alleged that due to the fear psychosis, which is prevailing in the state, they could not hold the poll campaign in a proper way.
The BJP had refuted the charges and said that the opposition was making a publicity stunt in order to gain public sympathy.
This year in the civic body elections a total of 785 candidates are in the fray after withdrawal nominations by 36 candidates from different political parties.
All India Trinamool Congress -120, BJP-334, CPI-6, CPM-197, Congress-92, Revolutionary Socialist Party-2, All India Forward Bloc-3, Others-10 and 21 independents are contesting the polls.
Among the candidates, who withdraw nominations, include 17 from Left Front 17, Congress eight, All India Trinamool Congress four, Forward Block two and independents seven.
The 20 civic bodies are consisting 334 constituencies, out of which eight are reserved for ST, 157 for women and 85 for SC. The final electoral rolls of the municipal constituencies have been published on February 20, 2021, according to which 5,94,772 are total electors in which 2,93,979 males, 3,00, 777 females and 16 others.
A total of 770 polling stations were set up in 20 urban local bodies.
Polling will be held on Thursday from 7 am to 4 pm and counting will take place on November 28 from 8 am. The Tripura police made elaborate arrangements for conducting free and fair elections.
Police said that 644 polling stations have been set up in which 370 polling stations are identified as 'A' category and 274 polling stations as 'B' category. Four TSR personnel will be deployed in 'A' category polling stations and four armed personnel will be deployed in 'B category polling stations, five TSR personnel will be deployed in all the 'A' category polling booths in the Agartala Municipal Corporation area.
“Two sections of CRPF under the command of one gazetted officer have been deployed at strong room and Government Press. Escort and personal security have been provided to all the observers. In all, 97 police sector officers have been detailed with 97 civil sector officers to oversee the security of the areas entrusted to them to ensure free and fair peaceful elections. A total of 25 TSR personnel have been provided with all the police stations where elections are being held," the press release informed.
Also read:Tripura Police assure adequate security blanket for civic body polls
They also said that 30 TSR personnel are provided to the district reserve for maintaining the law and Order. Additional 61 light vehicles have been provided with all the police stations for vehicular mobile. In addition, 50 sections of CRPF have been mobilised for law & order and area domination exclusively.
“After the directive of Supreme Court, additional 15 platoons of CRPF are also being provided for the Agartala Municipal Elections," Tripura police said.
They informed that action against 88 trouble mongers has been taken and 244 vulnerable hamlets have been identified in the state and patrolling as per ground requirement is being maintained.
“Special drive was launched for the execution of pending warrants and 161 pending warrants have been executed and 433 preventive arrests have been made so far after the declaration of municipal elections”, the press statement informed.
Specific cases under the appropriate section of law have been registered in all the reported incidents of political violence. So far 57 political cases have been registered after the announcement of municipal polls. As a precautionary measure, 63 persons have been bound down under preventive sections of law after the declaration of municipal elections.
“A total of 123 Naka Points in the districts have been made functional round-the-clock for surveillance. Proper security coverage is being ensured to all the political programmes, which are being done with the permission of the police, and no incidents have taken in any political programme organised after taking permission from police”, the police said.
