Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kiran Gitte held an all-party meet in the civil secretariat on Friday in view of the ensuing by-polls in four assembly constituencies of the state.
All the political parties were unanimous on one issue that the elections should be held in free and fai manner and the CEO should ensure proper and adequate security arrangements. The political parties’ representatives in the meeting also assured the CEO that they would extend all possible help to conduct the polling.
CEO Gitte assured the political parties that no stone would be left unturned to ensure a free polls in peaceful manner.
“Representatives of six recognized political parties joined the meeting. We noted the suggestions and concerns of the political parties,” the CEO told the reporters.
He assured the political parties of addressing their grievances, suggestions and complaints.
The representatives from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Indian National Congress, All India Trinamool Congress and Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) took part in the meeting.
The BJP representative said, the ruling party wants the election to be held as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India.
He said, “the opposition parties could place their views in the meeting but such atmosphere was not there in the state during the 25-year (Left) rule. We want the election to be held in democratic way as per the guidelines of the Election Commission.”
Ratan Das of CPM-M said, “During last 4 years, the people of Tripura have the experience of lynching of democracy in the state by the miscreants abetted by the ruling party and a section of the police including officers.”
He suggested, the law and order may be handed over to a competent sincere police officer during the election period.
“Only the CPMF may be used for protecting the Polling Booths and EVMs strong rooms and the Counting Halls. The CPMF must be deployed in the poll-bound areas 7 days ahead of the poll for area domination,” Das said.
Ex MLA Ashis Saha, who represented Congress in the meeting, said no election held in the state since BJP came to power was free and fair.
“I have requested the CEO to take all necessary measures for conducting the polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner,” Saha told the reporters.
Meanwhile, all the opposition parties made a strong appeal to the CEO for preventing activities by the bike-borne miscreants for a free, fair and peaceful election.
