ECI suspends 26 Tripura govt staff for participating political events, violation of MCC   

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has so far suspended 26 Tripura government staff including security personnel for participating in political events, election campaigns and violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), Tripura Chief Electoral Officer Puneet Agarwal said on Friday night.

The CEO said that besides the 26 government employees, two more staff would be suspended soon and the necessary processes are on.

Another election official said that two school teachers and a rifleman of the Tripura State Rifles were suspended on Friday for violation of the MCC.

Meanwhile, the concerned authorities on Friday suspended polling official Mousumi Ghosh, posted in the Surma Assembly segment, for making comments involving a top political leader of the country.

However, the suspension order was withdrawn late Friday evening.

The election officials said that the poll panel on a number of occasions asked all levels of government employees, especially those engaged in election related duties to remain impartial and perform the election related duties with utmost sanctity.

Polling for the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat was held in the first phase on April 19 and the voting for the Tripura East (ST) Parliamentary constituency held in the second phase on April 26.