East Tripura vote: Uninterrupted 144 of CrPC, 4 police observers, 10,000 plus men in uniform

According to report, central paramilitary forces along with policemen from other states have already taken domination in each of the localities in East Tripura since last evening that made an adverse impact on the voters and strike terror like situation.

The movement of civilians has been affected while markets took a deserted look since morning. The movement of political party leaders and workers has also been put under strong surveillance since end of the vocal campaign last evening. Extensive check on vehicles, hotels and guest houses were also begun since last night and security personnel have stepped up surveillance on the passenger movement in all the railway stations fall under the constituency.

The election in East Tripura parliamentary constituency was deferred from April 18 to 23 citing the reason of un-conducive security situation. To hold free and fair election in Tripura ECI had earlier appointed former DGP of Manipur Mrinal Kanti Das as special central police observer to closely oversee the security issue but after first phase election he made adverse report on law and order in Tripura that deferred the poll to East Tripura.

Subsequently, ECI has also appointed three more police observers - Nilav Kishore, K Jayraman and Subrata Mukhopadhyay to see the security issues of the constituency. All of them have reached to the locations and issued direction to the security forces about management and deployment of forces in the polling stations and other strategic locations in six districts.

About 80 companies of Central Arms Police Forces (CAPFs) were deployed in all the 1,645 polling stations in 1,349 locations along with a few thousand of state police forces. ECI had to issue prohibitory order of public assembly while allowed only one table, two chairs, one flag and one festoon with only two persons for the help desk of different political parties away from 200 metres of each polling station.

“We have got sufficient central paramilitary forces (CPF) and police from other states for East Tripura elections besides, Tripura police and TSR. About 85 per cent of the polling booths will be managed exclusively by CPF and rest of the booths would have sufficient number of TSR and armed police besides, strong flying squad in each of the assembly segments,” said CEO Sriram Taranikanti.

In East Tripura altogether 12,57,944 voters including female 6,20,291 and four third genders would exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 10 candidates tomorrow. The CEO appealed to all the political parties to appoint polling agents and sector police officers have been instructed to escort the polling agents in the booths on demand and send them back to home after polling if required polling agents will be provided security afterwards too.