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Tripura chief electoral officer to hold ‘peace meetings’ ahead of poll results
Referring to the security measures for the counting process, CEO Gitte informed that sufficient security personnel would be deployed on counting day at 21 locations across the state to maintain law and order situation.
With less than a week left for Tripura assembly election results, the state chief electoral officer on Saturday announced a ‘Shanti Sabha’ (peace meetings) to be held on February 27 and 28 across the state to aware people of zero poll violence.
Votes for Tripura assembly elections will be counted on March 2.
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Appealing to people to participate in the meeting and respect the poll results, CEO Kirankumar Dinkarrao Gitte said, “We will hold the peace meetings at places near the polling stations. Concerned voters of the constituencies and professionals, journalists, and activists will be invited to join the meetings. We shall have to respect whatever the poll mandate comes on March 2. These meetings will be conducted with the slogan ‘ Amra Ohingshar Pokkhe, Amra Shantir Pokkhe’ (We are in support of non-violence, we are in support of peace).”
The Election Commission of India (ECI) conducted ‘Mission Zero Violence’ ahead of polling held on February 16 which recorded an 87% turnout amidst sporadic violence.
According to state police, so far, 22 cases were registered related to poll violence, and 30 people have been arrested. Meanwhile, one person died and nearly 20 people were injured in the pre and post-poll violence reported in different parts of the state.
Referring to the security measures for the counting process, Gitte informed that sufficient security personnel would be deployed on counting day at 21 locations across the state to maintain law and order situation.
“Three-tier security would be imposed around the counting hall with the Tripura police will be deployed in the outermost barricade, Tripura State Rifles (TSR) will be deployed in the second layer and Central Armed Police Force (CRPF) will be deployed in the third layer outside strong rooms and counting halls,” he said.
All the counting halls will be under CCTV surveillance.
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In the last few days, chief secretary JK Sinha, director general of police Amitabha Ranjan and CEO Gitte conducted a series of meetings regarding the counting process.
The assembly polls witnessed a multi-cornered contest with the Left and Congress alliance that remained rivals for several years and Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Motha, a regional party headed by royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma as the challengers to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance partner Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT).
The BJP contested 55 seats and IPFT in six seats, including a friendly fight in one seat. The Left contested 47 seats and Congress 13 seats as per their seat-sharing agreement. The TIPRA Motha contested 42 seats while Trinamool Congress (TMC) contested 28 seats.
The 2023 legislative assembly elections were held in Tripura on 16 February to elect all 60 members. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on 2 March.
