By Firstdespatch Desk Jan 12, 2023
Agartala, Jan 12 (FD): Election Commission of India (ECI) has assured the political parties in the state that full proof measures would be taken to ensure free and fair elections as the commission treats the elections as ‘festival of democracy’.
The ECI team led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, which visited poll bound Tripura on Wednesday assured the political parties that full proof measures would be taken to ensure free and fair elections.
The bench reviewed the poll preparations with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), poll officials and others and also interacted with the representatives of the different political parties including ruling BJP, IPFT and opposition CPI-M, Congress and Trinamool Congress at the state Guest house here.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) told media, “We are committed and duty bound to conduct free and fair elections as we consider the elections as festival of democracy. We had in-depth discussion with the law enforcing agencies”.
Kumar said, all the 3328 polling stations will be manned by micro observers and security forces would be deployed on the basis of randomization to ensure impartiality.
The representatives of the political parties, who met the ECI team, have demanded for smooth conduct and free and fair elections.
The Vice-President of the ruling BJP, Dr. Ashoke Sinha, who met the team said, “We demanded free and fair elections as we believe in democracy and measures should be taken to check any kind of violence during electioneering”.
However, the Secretary of the state unit of main opposition CPI-M said they have submitted a memorandum stating that people are concerned if they would be able to cast their votes without fear.
“We have expressed concern because all the elections including the civic body elections, Loksabha elections in 2019 or by-elections, people could not exercise their franchise and the elections were reduced to farce”.
He also demanded to resume the telecast of some cable TV channels, which depicted the ‘true pictures’ were forcefully closed at the indulgence of the ruling party.
The lone Congress MLA of Congress, Sudip Roy Barman, demanded close policing near the polling stations to stop any attempt by ruling parties from going to polling stations. FD JK