Authorities in Tripura have drawn up a large-scale security plan for the September 28 Village Committee (VC) elections, deploying CAPF, TSR and state police personnel across the TTAADC areas to maintain law and order and facilitate peaceful voting.
Key Takeaways
- Tripura will deploy more than 15,000 security personnel for the September 28 VC elections.
- Around 74 CAPF companies and 10,000 TSR and state police personnel will handle election security.
- Polling will take place for 2,954 seats across 44 blocks after 1,643 seats were won uncontested.
More than 15,000 security personnel will take up election duties across Tripura’s tribal areas for the September 28 Village Committee polls, officials said on Tuesday.
The deployment will include around 5,000 personnel from the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF). Around 10,000 personnel from the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and Tripura Police will also join the security operation.
The authorities have stepped up preparations as Tripura gets ready to hold the Village Committee elections after a 10-year gap.
74 CAPF companies planned for deployment
A senior police official said the security plan includes around 74 companies of the CAPF.
As of Tuesday, 47 CAPF companies had already reached Tripura. The remaining forces will arrive in the state by Wednesday, the official told IANS.
The TSR and Tripura Police have also intensified their preparations. Security teams have started area-wise patrolling and route marches across different parts of the state.
District Superintendents of Police and other senior officers are leading the operations. The teams are working to maintain law and order ahead of polling.
The security exercise will continue through the election process to ensure a peaceful environment for voters and candidates.
TSR has extensive election experience
The senior police official also pointed to the TSR’s long experience in election-related duties.
TSR personnel performed election duties in Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Lok Sabha polls were held between April 19 and June 1, 2024.
The force has also undertaken security responsibilities during major national events. Its Indian Reserve battalions provided security during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Over the years, these battalions have performed election duties in almost every state of the country.
Their assignments have covered both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Village Committee polls after a decade
The Tripura State Election Commission (TSEC) has fixed September 28 as the polling date for the Village Committee elections.
The polls will cover 4,597 seats across 2,634 constituencies.
The seats fall under 587 Village Committees in areas governed by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
The Village Committees function as the equivalent of Gram Panchayats in areas outside the TTAADC.
The elections hold significance because voters in the TTAADC areas are going to the polls for Village Committees after a 10-year interval.
State Election Commission reviews preparations
State Election Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Chakraborty reviewed the security and administrative arrangements on Monday.
He held a virtual meeting with senior police and administrative officials to assess preparations across the state. Tripura Director General of Police G.S. Rao attended the meeting. Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Manchak Ipper and Commission Secretary Anurag Sen also participated.
All District Magistrates and several other officials joined the meeting. The review focused on the arrangements needed for the elections across the state.
TMP secures 1,557 seats uncontested
The nomination process has already settled a large number of seats without polling. The ruling BJP’s ally, the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), has secured 1,557 seats uncontested. The figure represents 33.87 per cent of the total 4,597 seats.
The BJP has also secured 81 seats without a contest. These seats account for 1.76 per cent of the total. The uncontested victories followed the completion of nomination withdrawals on September 11.
Polling to be held for 2,954 seats
The withdrawal of nominations has reduced the number of seats that will require voting.
Polling will now take place for 2,954 seats, according to a Tripura State Election Commission official. The contests will cover 44 of the state’s 52 blocks. Voters across all eight districts will take part in the contested elections.
A total of 1,069 candidates withdrew their nominations during the withdrawal process. The candidates included nominees from several political parties, including the TMP, BJP and CPIM. Following the withdrawals, 9,820 candidates remain in the fray.
The September 28 elections will therefore decide the remaining contested Village Committee seats in the TTAADC areas.
With the security deployment already underway, authorities are now focusing on maintaining law and order and ensuring a peaceful polling process across the tribal areas. (With inputs from IANS)
