Flag-march started across Tripura to improve public confidence, voting for West on April 19, East on April 26

In order to ensure the peaceful and violence free voting, with announcement poll schedules for Lok Sabha elections, Central Arms Police Forces (CAPFs) led by respective District Magistrate of all districts of Tripura started flag march and area domination exercise to boost up confidence among local people and to maintain law and order situation before general elections in Tripura.

As per the announcement of the Election Commission of India (ECI) poll schedules, the voting for the West Tripura parliamentary constituency will be held in the first phase on April 19 and polling for the East Tripura (ST reserved) parliamentary constituency will be conducted in the second phase on April 26 next.

Reports from Belonia, Khowai and other parts of the state said that all the District Election officers (DMs) along with Superintendent of Police (SP) deployed CAPFs have conducted flag marches in all sub divisional towns.

While, addressing a press conference at the conference hall of DM(West) on Saturday evening, the West Tripura district election officer and DM, Dr Vishal Kumar accompanied by SP(West) Kiran Kumar  said that poll notification for West Tripura parliamentary constituency and by-poll for 7-Ramnagar assembly constituency will be issued on March 20th next and with announcement of poll schedules, the model code of conduct(MCC) started.

Dr Vishal Kumar said that a sufficient number of security forces will be deployed in all 30 assembly segments falling under West Tripura parliamentary seat and the poll panel will take all steps to ensure free, fair and violence free elections.

The authorities said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken all measures to ensure free and fair by-polls in both constituencies with zero-tolerance against any kind of violence related to polls.

SP(West) Kiran Kumar said a total 30 companies of CAPFs will be deployed in West Tripura and the police department has taken all precautionary steps including preventive arrest to maintain law and order situation .

A total of 14, 61,836 electors including 7,33,464 male voters, 7,28,314 female and 58 third gender will exercise their franchise for West Tripura seat.  A total of 13,95,089 voters including 7,01,708 male , 6,93,365 female and 16 third gender voters cast their votes in East Tripura (ST) parliamentary constituency. All 3349 polling stations in both constituencies will be guarded by CAPFs with web-casting.