AGARTALA, Feb 22 (TIWN): State Election Commissioner GK Rao on Monday in a press meet at Secretariat said that all together 587 village committees will contest into the village committee election which is scheduled to be held on February 24.

The village committees, falling in areas under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), are equivalent to gram panchayats outside the council areas.

State Election Commissioner G. Kameswara Rao told the media that elections for the 4,597 seats would be held on February 24.Of the total seats, 4,018 are reserved for tribals, 180 for people from Scheduled Castes and 2,005 for women."Instead of Electronic Voting Machines, ballot boxes would be used for the polls. 

It is to be mentioned here that there are no reports of any untoward incident so far and detailed arrangements are made for the free and fair conduct of election.

He further said that there are 1262 polling stations and there are also women dominated polling stations.  Among the 1262 polling station, 55 polling stations are identified under A category, 486 under B category, 721 under C category.

There are 52 strong rooms at 51 different locations. Rao further said that 12 company CRPF force are deployed in the strong room.

Speaking on the issue of security measures, he further said that tight security is maintained for the safe conduct of the election.  Constant patrolling is given in the areas.  However, 25 TSR are also deployed in every police station.  However, 6000TSR, 4100 police, 120 honest guards, 350 home guards are deployed.

However, Election commissioner GK Rao, IG Law and Order Anurag Dhyankar, Deputy EC Tamal Majumder along with others remained present in the meet.

It is to be mentioned here that all the appointed polling personnel who are given the responsibility to conduct the election are schedule to leave for the polling station on Tuesday and will supervise the arrangements at the polling station.

This decision was taken to conduct an error free election in the state.

It is to be mentioned here that Police officers and teachers of state schools who are appointed as the pollin