Amidst tight security, the postal ballot voting for poll, security personnel and drivers of the vehicles, which are engaged in poll duties, has been started across the state on Wednesday.

The postal ballot voting for 8 assembly constituencies under Sadar subdivision has started at the vote facilitation centre at Sishu Bihar School in Agartala, where thousands of poll and security personnel cast their votes. Similarly, postal ballot voting has also started in all 23 subdivisions of the state, where about 40,000 personnel will cast their votes in favour of their candidates in their respective assembly constituencies . The voting process will continue up to February 12.

Speaking with media persons in front of Sishu Bihar School, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Tripura, Kiran Gitte said apart from poll personnel some employees engaged with essential services are also casting their votes through postal ballots. He said that till Tuesday, the Election department has so far received form-12 application for postal ballot voting is about 40,000. The voting of these 40,000 voters will continue from February 8 to 12 next, said Gitte  and added that a total of 13 voting rooms have been set in Sishu Bihar school for voting of poll personnel under 8 assembly constituencies of Sadar subdivision.

He appealed to all remaining employees engaged in the polling process to complete the form-12 applications and the Commission will arrange their voting process within February 12. He said that the Commission does not want to leave any employee voter, who is engaged in poll duties.

He said after February 12, the voting through postal ballot will be a tough one, so all employees should cast their vote through form-12.

It may be recalled here that since Wednesday morning long queues were seen at Sishi Bihar school and thousands of poll personnel cast their votes.

The CEO reiterated that  all the TSR jawans posted in other parts of the state are like general voters and they have to cast their votes by visiting their respective polling stations as the enrolment of their names as ‘service voter’ was not included as none of them filed any application as service voters.

From Thursday, the Commission will start the voting process for 80 plus people along with persons with disabilities (PWD).