Agartala, Jan 22: Additional central paramilitary forces (CPMF) have started arriving in Tripura for the February 14 Assembly election.
Chief Electoral Officer Asutosh Jindal said altogether 250 companies of CPMF would be deployed in the state, of which 50 companies have already arrived. The rest would come in phases.
Of the 50 companies, 20 companies are from CRPF and five companies each from BSF and Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP), he told reporters.
The Election Commission has formed flying squads and static surveillance teams (SST) to combat the menace of cash doles and bribes and carrying of illegal arms in the run up to the Assembly elections, IG, Police Control Nepal Das said.
SSTs and flying squads were set up in all the 60 Assembly constituencies of the state with personnel drawn from police and government officials under a magistrate.
The SSTs would tackle the cash dole problem, while flying squads would check movement of suspicious people or those carrying illegal arms.
Meanwhile, two banned outfits, All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), jointly with other insurgent outfits of the north-east have given a customary call to boycott Republic Day.
Security forces are alert and capable of thwarting any sabotage attempt by any force, Das said.
“In view of the election, security has been beefed up and put on alert throughout the state and it would be difficult for any insurgent to commit any sabotage,” he told PTI.
Deputy Election Commissioner Dr Alok Shukla will arrive in Agartla on Wednesday to oversee preparedness for the February 14 assembly elections in Tripura, Chief Electoral Officer Asutosh Jindal said today.
Shukla will visit a few districts and hold meetings with district magistrates, police superintendents and sub-divisional magistrates of all the districts to review the preparations for the elections.
Police observers and general observers will arrive by January 29, Jindal said.
He said expenditure observers of the Commission for Tripura arrived on Monday for scrutiny of election expenditure of political parties.
Many micro observers would be appointed during the poll.
Submission of nominations will be taken up on January 22, 24, 25 and 28 and scrutiny held on January 29. The last date of withdrawal will be January three.
He said, 3040 polling stations will be set up and 20,000 election workers appointed.
Stating that three helicopter were used in 2008 to fly election officials to remote areas, he said that more could be used this time.
