Daijiworld Media Network - Agartala
Agartala, Sep 15: More than 15,000 central and state security personnel will be deployed to ensure the smooth and peaceful conduct of the September 28 Village Committee elections in Tripura's tribal areas, officials said on Tuesday.
A senior police official said around 74 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), comprising an actual deployment of nearly 5,000 personnel, along with 10,000 personnel from the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and Tripura Police, would provide security for the politically significant elections to Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
"Of the 74 companies of CAPF, 47 companies have already arrived in Tripura, and the remaining forces would be available in the state by Wednesday," the official told reporters.
According to the official, TSR and state police personnel, led by district Superintendents of Police and other senior officials, have already begun area-wise patrolling and route marches to maintain law and order ahead of the polls.
He said the elite Tripura State Rifles had been highly efficient in handling election-related duties.
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, held between April 19 and June 1, TSR personnel were deployed for election duties in Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh. Apart from providing security during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, the Indian Reserve battalions of TSR have performed election duties in almost every state, providing security during Assembly and Lok Sabha polls over the years.
The Tripura State Election Commission (TSEC) had earlier announced that elections to 4,597 seats in 2,634 constituencies covering 587 Village Committees would be held on September 28, after a gap of 10 years.
The Village Committees are equivalent to Gram Panchayats in areas outside the TTAADC.
State Election Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Chakraborty reviewed the overall security and administrative arrangements for the elections across the state during a virtual meeting on Monday.
Tripura Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Rao, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Manchak Ipper, Commission Secretary Anurag Sen, all District Magistrates and several other officials attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, a TSEC official said the ruling BJP's ally, the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), had won 1,557 seats, or 33.87 per cent of the total 4,597 seats, unopposed in the elections to the 587 Village Committees under the TTAADC areas.
The BJP secured 81 seats, or 1.76 per cent, uncontested after the completion of withdrawal of nomination papers on September 11, the official said.
Following the election of candidates to a large number of seats without contest, polling will now be held for 2,954 seats in 44 of the total 52 blocks spread across eight districts of Tripura.
After 1,069 candidates from various political parties, including the TMP, BJP and CPI(M), withdrew their nominations, a total of 9,820 candidates remain in the fray for the Village Committee elections.