From Our Correspondent
Agartala: Unprecedented security arrangement would be made to ensure free and fair elections in the state, said Chef Electoral Officer (CEO) Ashutosh Jindal.
Speaking at ‘Meet the Press’ at Agartala Press Club here, Jindal on Friday said initiatives have been taken after the Election Commission directed all the concerned officers to maintain peace in the poll bound state.
The CEO said the international border with Bangladesh will be sealed on the day of polling to prevent any intrusion bid from across the border.
On the assessment of vulnerability of polling booths, the CEO said he did not have the exact figure as the number is yet to be counted.
Besides, the law enforcement agencies are on the move to look into the matter.
Altogether 23.55 lakh electorates will decide the fate of 249 candidates of different political parties. Out of the total, 11,98,970 are male voters while the rest 11,56,476 are female ones. During the last Assembly poll, the number of voters was counted at 20.38 lakhs, he added.
After 1983 assembly poll, this assembly poll has recorded the lowest number of candidates, he said.
Altogether 53,580 young voters with average age of 18 to 19 years would cast their first votes in this election. He added that the number of voters per polling station on average stands at 775. There were 852 voters in the last assembly election.
Later, replying to the question of his standpoint regarding complaints, Jindal stated that 20 complaints have been received so far. All these complaints have been forwarded to Election Commission to decide what action to be taken.
Among the candidates, Nirajoy Tripura (CPM) aged about 85 is the veteran contestant from Chawmanu Assembly constituency.
On the other hand, IPFT candidate Satiram Reang and Independent candidate Chayendra Reang aged at 26 years are the youngest candidates of Korbook Assembly constituency.
Later, moving to the budget of Assembly poll, Jindal expected that the expenditure for conducting the ensuing Assembly election would be double than that of last year. Last Assembly election, the poll panel spent Rs. 9 crore for this purpose.