3 EC special observers to visit Tripura today to review poll preparedness

Three special observers of the Election Commission will arrive in Tripura on Monday to review preparedness and security arrangement for the upcoming assembly elections in the northeastern state, a senior official said.

Three special observers - Yogendra Tripathy, Vivek Johri and B Murli Kumar - will hold meetings with officials on Tuesday to take stock of the election preparations and other poll-related issues, Additional CEO Subhasish Bondhyapadyay said.

They will have separate meetings with district magistrates (DMs) and superintendents of police, he said, adding that the special observers are scheduled to leave for another poll-bound state Meghalaya on January 27.

Tripathy is the general observer while Johri will see police-related issues and Murli Kumar will observe expenditure.

So far, around 200 companies of central paramilitary forces have arrived in the northeastern state and have been engaged in confidence-building measures across the state, the poll official said.

If required, more central forces will be deployed and now, there is no dearth of force for conducting free, fair and peaceful elections, he said.

Barring a few incidents, the "overall situation is normal", the additional chief electoral officer said.

The police have been asked to act impartially to ensure peace in the poll-bound Tripura, he said.

Last week, the Election Commission ordered an inquiry into attacks on a Congress bike rally in Majlishpur Assembly constituency in West Tripura district.

Action has been taken against a sub-divisional police officer and two officers-in-charge (OCs) for "failing to take appropriate steps during the attacks on the Congress bike rally", the official said.

The elections to the 60-member assembly will be held on February 16, and counting of votes will be on March 2.