Agartala: Jan 18: The general election to form the 13th Tripura Legislative Assembly will be held on February 16, 2023. The Election Commission of India has declared the state assembly elections in New Delhi today. In the evening, Secretariat Chief Election Officer Kiran Gitte briefed the journalists on various issues related to the elections in the state.
Polling will be held on February 16, Thursday, as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission. The official notification of the polling will be issued on Saturday, January 21. The process of submission of nomination papers will continue till January 30. Nomination papers will be examined on January 31. The date of withdrawal of nomination papers is 2nd February. Counting of votes will take place on March 2.
On this day, Chief Election Officer Mr. Gitte said, the special addition of this election is Braille voter information slip for the blind. Blind voters can vote for the candidate of their choice in this manner at their respective polling stations. Also this time one returning officer has been appointed for each assembly constituency. Voters above 80 years and disabled persons can exercise their right to vote from home.
The Chief Election Officer also said that the code of conduct has been introduced today with the immediate release of the Election Commission. Accordingly, if any political party places its flags, festoons, banners, etc. on government property, it must be removed within 24 hours. All promotional decorations must be removed within 48 hours in case of public property and 72 hours in case of unauthorized private centers. Else the election office will take necessary action. No campaigning program can be done from 10 pm to 6 am. He said that a media committee has been formed in Tripura. Training of District Collectors, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers and Police Officers has already been completed. Other employees will also be trained. The Chief Election Officer said that 30 percent more polling officers than required have been appointed. Public awareness about EVM machines has also been done. The counting center will remain as before. Various apps have been arranged by the Election Department for various information related to voting. He said that the term of the twelfth Legislative Assembly will end on March 22. This election process will end on March 4.
Chief Electoral Officer Mr. Gitte said that there will be six types of observers in this election. These are General Observers, Counting Observers, Police Observers, Micro Observers, and Special Observers for special work. Moreover, there will be Expenditure Monitor to look at expenditure related matters. He said that candidates can submit their nomination papers online. For this, the representatives of various political parties have been trained. Training will be given to those concerned if necessary. 50 percent more EVM machines than required have been checked and kept ready. A three-tiered security zone will be deployed in this election. The first tier will have paramilitary forces, the second tier will have TSR forces and the third tier will have police forces.
The Election Department has taken all sorts of initiatives to ensure a free, fair and peaceful polling process in Tripura free from violence. Chief Electoral Officer Gitte urged everyone to vote in a festive mood. In response to the questions of the journalists, the Chief Election Officer said that there will be a system of web casting in every polling station in the state. Webcasting will be done offline in polling centers where mobile network is not available.
