Agartala: With days to go for the by-elections in four assembly constituencies in Tripura, multi-layer security arrangements have been put in place and prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPc enforced to ensure free and fair elections, officials said on Tuesday. Apart from that, more than sufficient security personnel are deployed in areas deemed to be critical and vulnerable to violence.
Addressing a press conference, Superintendent of Police West Tripura Bogati Jagadeeswar Reddy said the police had identified a total of 14 polling stations in the category of “critically vulnerable” in two Agartala-based constituencies—6-Agartala and 8-Town Bordowali. For these polling stations additional deployment of central armed forces has been made.
“The areas that are recognised as critical have been covered with additional security deployment. Along with central forces, Tripura State Rifle and BSF Jawans were also deployed in these areas to avert any untoward incident. In comparison to normal polling stations, the security arrangements are almost double,” said Reddy.
On poll-related violence, he said, “So far we have received 25 complaints in connection with violence linked with the by-elections and breach of model code of conduct. All the cases are under investigation.”
Speaking at the same press conference, District Electoral Officer and DM West Tripura Debapriya Bardhan said, “To ensure that the polls are conducted free of any influence, multi-pronged efforts have been undertaken.”
“In West Tripura, polls would take place in 111 polling stations in two constituencies. As per our requisition, the Election Commission of India has sent adequate security personnel and they have been distributed their responsibilities. Webcasting would be done in all the polling stations and, based on the situation, additional polling staff would be posted in the selected areas,” said Bardhan.
Clarifying the concerns of opposition parties, Returning Officer 6-Agartala assembly constituency Dr Sailesh Kumar Yadav said, “These elections are different from the previous elections. All the suggestions made by the political parties have been taken into consideration very seriously and all the necessary measures to keep the poll process peaceful are taken up. In no circumstances, any breach of the restrictions would be tolerated.”
Similarly, District Magistrates of Dhalai and North Tripura districts also held separate press conferences detailing the administrative preparedness to conduct the elections in Surma and Jubarajnagar constituencies, respectively.
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