After two days hectic schedules of the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to assess the poll preparedness of the state, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said that they are committed to conduct free and fair elections with inducement free elections.

Addressing a press conference here at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan on Thursday morning CEC Rajiv Kumar accompanied by two other Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel said they had attended series of meetings with the Chief Secretary, DGP, representatives of political parties, DMs, SPs and enforcement agencies for two days and had an in-depth discussion on the election process and to conduct free and fair elections.

He said, some political parties are nominating candidates with criminal background and now, all political parties will have to inform the voters about criminal cases if any of their candidates. Kumar said that all 3,328 polling stations of the state will have a micro-observer in each polling station and all polling stations will  have deployment of Central Arms Police Forces (CAPFs) and deployment will be held on randomization to ensure impartiality.

Highlighting the overall assessment of the Commission on the poll preparedness of the state, Rajiv Kumar urged the media to convey the appeal of the Commission to the public to turn up in large numbers and to participate in the “festival of democracy” in the ensuing assembly to Tripura.

Mentioning the measures to be taken to ensure free and fair elections, the Chief Commissioner said all DEOs and SPs have been instructed to provide a level playing field for all political parties and there should not be any partisan approach towards anyone.

The District Administration will ensure that facilities like ground, vehicles, etc. are provided on a first come first serve basis, said Kumar and added that there is an application called ‘SUVIDHA’ which may be used by the political parties where a digital trail is available to track the application status.

He said CAPF will also be deployed in all the important check posts, Nakas and routes which are critical and the Observers to be deployed will be part and parcel of the deployment of CAPF and decision making to ensure neutrality.

Regarding demands of political parties over the security of their candidates and polling agents, Kumar said “it is the responsibility of the District Magistrates and SPs to ensure security of candidates and polling Agents and accordingly instruction has been given.”

There shall be a single point at SDMs level where complaints of below the SDMs level shall be received with proper indexing and recording of complaints and citizens may also raise complaints through c-VIGIL application with a digital trail, said Kumar.

He said in the last assembly elections, there were reports of malfunctioning of webcasting and this time all DEOs were instructed to ensure that the process of web casting shall be flawless. If any agency fails to comply then responsibility shall be fixed and such agencies shall not be influenced by local pressure.

All the EVM warehouses should have three tier securities. The inner ring should be of CAPF, the second ring will be of Tripura State Forces and the third ring will be with local Police, said Kumar and added that the representatives of political parties may see, visit and guard the warehouses, but that should be video graphed.

He said that during the silence period there should not be any meeting or door to door campaign and accordingly instruction has been given to the DMs and SPs to ensure it and all the advertisements shall be issued after getting approval from MCMC at DEOs level.

 Social Media Cell shall be formed in DEOs Office to check any fake social media news and to take action against such fake news as per applicable sections of Law and to remove such post within specified time period, said Kumar and added that all the enforcement agencies were instructed to ensure through their Naka Points that there is no movement of drugs, liquor, cash, and freebies of any kind. The kingpins behind such movement of drugs, liquor, cash, freebies etc. shall be identified and action shall be taken, said CEC. He said banks were instructed along with RBI to inform concerned enforcement agencies if any bulk online transaction from any account is being done.

 He also said that air Intelligence units of the Airport have been directed to watch in the Airport if anything comes in this state to induce the voters.

It may be recalled here that after meeting with CS and DGP, the Commission visited the exhibition at Ujjayanta Palace premises in which the glimpses of Tripura and the SVEEP activities undertaken across the state were exhibited and gave away EPICs to the newly enrolled electors and administered Voters’ pledge to all, who were present. The Commission has also felicitated state PwD Icon, senior citizen and PwD voter.