The Tripura State Election Commission has begun preparations for elections to 21 urban local bodies across eight districts, with their terms set to end on December 9 and the final electoral rolls due on October 15.
Key Takeaways:
- The Tripura SEC has started preparations for elections to 21 urban local bodies, including Agartala Municipal Corporation.
- The final electoral rolls will be published on October 15, while 783 polling stations have been finalised.
- State police and Tripura State Rifles are expected to handle security, with no CAPF deployment planned.
The Tripura State Election Commission has launched the initial preparations for elections to 21 urban local bodies (ULBs), including the Agartala Municipal Corporation.
The SEC held its first major coordination meeting with senior civil and police officials on Thursday. Tripura State Election Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Chakraborty chaired the meeting with Director General of Police G.S. Rao.
The meeting focused on election preparedness, security arrangements and the smooth conduct of polling across the urban local bodies.
Chakraborty directed the officials to take all necessary steps to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
SEC starts preps for 21 ULBs
After the meeting, Chakraborty said the terms of all 21 ULBs will expire on December 9.
The 21 urban bodies include the Agartala Municipal Corporation, 13 Municipal Councils and seven Nagar Panchayats.
The SEC has therefore started coordinating with the administration and police ahead of the elections.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Manchak Ipper also attended the meeting. District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police from all eight districts took part in the discussions.
Senior civil and security officials were also present at the meeting held at the State Guest House.
The participation of officials from all eight districts reflects the statewide nature of the upcoming urban local body elections.
783 polling stations finalised
The Urban Development Department has released the final list of polling stations for the elections.
According to the SEC, the list contains 783 polling stations across the 21 urban local bodies.
The polling stations will cover the Agartala Municipal Corporation, 13 Municipal Councils and seven Nagar Panchayats.
The finalisation of polling stations marks an important step in the election preparations. It will provide the administrative framework for conducting polling across the urban areas.
Final electoral rolls on October 15
The SEC has also outlined the timeline for the electoral rolls.
Authorities will complete the process of examining claims and objections to the draft electoral rolls by October 8. The final electoral rolls will then be published on October 15.
The publication of the final rolls will establish the voter base for the upcoming municipal and Nagar Panchayat elections.
The election authorities are now working on completing the remaining preparatory steps within the scheduled timeline.
State police and TSR to handle security
Security arrangements also figured prominently in the preparatory meeting.
DGP G.S. Rao indicated that Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel would not be deployed for the ULB elections.
Instead, the state police and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) will provide security for the polls.
The forces will be deployed in adequate numbers to ensure free and fair elections. The state authorities will also coordinate security arrangements across the eight districts.
The SEC has stressed the need for a smooth and transparent election process as preparations move forward.
Around nine lakh people covered
The 21 urban local bodies cover a combined population of around nine lakh people across Tripura’s eight districts.
The Agartala Municipal Corporation accounts for more than four lakh residents.
The scale of the voter population makes the upcoming elections a significant exercise for the state election machinery.
With the terms of the existing urban local bodies ending on December 9, the SEC has begun the preparatory process well ahead of the deadline.
Political parties begin pre-poll activities
Political parties have also started preparing for the urban local body elections.
The ruling BJP, the CPI(M)-led Left parties and the Congress have begun their pre-poll activities.
Candidate selection has emerged as an early focus for the parties as they prepare to contest the municipal and Nagar Panchayat seats.
The SEC, meanwhile, is continuing its administrative preparations. The publication of the final electoral rolls on October 15 will mark the next key milestone in the election process. (Edited by Enewstime Desk)