The northeastern state of Tripura is undertaking thorough preparations for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, with a strong emphasis on guaranteeing a free, fair, and peaceful voting process. In a conversation with ANI, Chief Electoral Officer Puneet Agarwal outlined the detailed planning being carried out to facilitate seamless polls. Agarwal underscored the objective of achieving maximum voter turnout, which mirrors the democratic values upheld by the state and its populace.
“The wide guidelines given by the Election Commission of India have been followed, and in all the districts having different constituencies, the ARO (assistant returning officers) are working. In the two parliamentary constituencies, Tripura 1 West and Tripura 2 East, the ROs (returning officers), District Magistrates of West Tripura and Dhalai Tripura have taken the necessary action to arrange a fair election procedure,” Agarwal said.
He further stated that, from a security standpoint, efforts are underway to bolster the state police. Approximately 70 companies of central forces (CAPF) have already arrived, with more than 15 additional companies of central forces expected to arrive soon.
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“The forces had taken charge of all the security measures and have been dominating the vulnerable areas. Flag marches, foot patrolling and mobile patrolling are going on both days and nights. The ROs, AROs, SDMs and SDPOs are continuously monitoring the whole process. We are ready to conduct fair and complete violence-free elections,” Agarwal added.
West Tripura District Election Officer and Returning Officer Vishal Kumar conducted a thorough inspection of the premises, ensuring the readiness and security of the arrangements. His observations highlight the state’s dedication to facilitating a smooth electoral process.
“For the election going to be held on April 19 in the West Tripura Lok Sabha Constituency, the necessary preparations have been completed. Especially the counting hall and Strong Room preparation are complete. Especially among 30 assembly segments, 14 assembly segments are under West Tripura Lok Sabha Constituency, For them, the preparation of the recipient centre and dispatch centre is going quickly and will be completed within 4-5 days. I want to assure all the voters and especially all the political parties that all work related to Counting Hall and Strong Rooms is well completed and we are ready to conduct a free and fair election,” Kumar said
In addition to the preparations, Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar from Tripura West District reaffirmed the implementation of robust security measures. These measures are designed to establish a conducive environment for voters, ensuring freedom from fear and intimidation, thereby upholding the integrity of the electoral process.
“We had made a detailed arrangement for the upcoming election. Central forces had also arrived and more forces were yet to come. We are doing regular flag marches and night patrols. All the sensitive places are covered by policies. We are having SST 42 Naka checkpoints and 42 FST Naka points in which vehicle checking is going on. We had made a complaint cell; whatever political complaint came, we took action immediately. All the SDPOs and Police sector officers are informed immediately and take action. Every measure is taken to perform a proper and fair election,” Kiran said.
The elections for two parliamentary seats, along with a by-election for the 7-Ramnagar Assembly Constituency, are scheduled for April 18 and April 26.
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