SC asks MHA to deploy additional security forces to ensure fair civic body elections in Tripura

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deploy two additional company of central paramilitary forces in Tripura expeditiously to ensure free and fair municipal elections.

The top court told the Centre and Tripura government to ensure that every polling booth was manned by paramilitary forces for free and fair election.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and Vikram Nath said since there was absence of CCTV camera, it was important that the print and electronic media have "unhindered access for full reporting and coverage of the election process".

“We direct the State Election Commission, the Director General of Police and the Secretary, Home Affairs of the State of Tripura to ensure that every polling booth is manned by a sufficient strength of CAPF personnel, bearing in mind the sensitivity of the polling station and the need for a requisite number of personnel to guard the polling booths to ensure free and fair elections. The polling officer at each polling booth shall take the help of CAPF personnel, in the event that any exigency arises,” the bench said.

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Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing the Tripura government, submitted that in addition to 78 sections, 15 additional sections have been deployed pursuant to the directions made by DGP and Home Secretary. He said additional 458 personnel belonging to the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) have been deployed for law and order duties.

There are 770 polling booths where the polling is taking place.

The bench was informed that two companies of BSF have been deployed by the MHA.

The court also asked the DGP and Home Secretary to assess the situation and consider if more companies were to be deployed.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for All India Trinamool Congress, contended that as the polling was in progress, several incidents of violence were recorded. He asked the court to hold a post-lunch hearing to play those videos.

The court, which posted the matter for consideration on December 2, also said, "Necessary arrangements should also be made for deploying an adequate number of central forces to ensure the safety of the ballots and to facilitate an unhindered counting of votes, when counting is scheduled to take place."

On November 23, the court refused to entertain a plea by TMC to postpone municipal elections in Tripura, scheduled on November 25, in the backdrop of alleged deteriorating law and order situation. Postponing an election in a democracy is an extreme measure, as it may set off a wrong trend, it said.

The court, however, had directed the IG and DGP of Tripura to take steps to ensure municipal election, are conducted in peaceful manner.

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