Tripura govt emphasises on election management procedures

Agartala, Jan 31 (UNI) As part of election management procedures in Tripura, the state election panel has suggested to transfer police officials, up to the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) level, ahead of the polls scheduled on February 23.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr G S G Ayyanger said here today that the election department had been reviewing the administrative set-up of the state and found that as many as 31 police officers were serving in theIR present post for more than three years.

''As per the instructions of the Election Commission of India, no officer, who had already completed three years, would be allowed to remain at the present place of posting. Besides, no police or civil officer can be posted in his home sub-division,'' Dr Ayyanger stated.

With the formal notification for the February 23 elections to the 60-member Tripura Legislative Assembly, the state election panel has been maintaining a close surveillance over the officials engaged in election process, following the directions of the ECI.

Dr Ayyanger also informed that the ECI had categorically instructed to ensure simultaneous counting of all 60 segments and the state poll panel had launched infrastructure development work in the specific locations at the district level, while Returning Officers were asked to strictly follow the ECI directives.

He also stated that for the first time, the ECI had appointed micro-observers to oversee the poll process in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, who were sending the reports to the election observers.

''Micro-observers are like the spies of the election observers, who would closely monitor the poll process and no one, except the CEOs, would know their identity,'' Dr Ayyanger said, adding that as many as 700 micro-observers would be appointed in Tripura.

He said only the central government employees and officers posted in the three states would be appointed as micro-observers and they would assist the general observers both during polling and counting to ensure free and fair elections.

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