Agartala, June 19 (TIWN): CPI (M) submitted nomination papers for different posts in the West Tripura Zilla Parishad on Thursday, opening nomination paper submission in Zilla Parishads across the state. Nomination papers were filed in all seventeen posts of the West Tripura Zilla Parishad on the day, District Magistrate (West) Abhisek Singh informed.

Speaking to reporters later this evening, State Election Commissioner Yatendra Kumar said that nomination papers were filed in 23 posts of Zilla Parishads across the state till date. 234 nominations were filed by 204 candidates in different posts for the Panchayat samity election. A total of 3,253 candidates filed 3,943 nominations in different posts of gram panchayats across the state till Thursdayevening. Nomination submission for gram panchayats and Panchayat Samities were continuing for the past several days.

Asked about nomination submission for Zilla Parishad from other political parties, an official of the West Tripura district administration today said that All India Trinamool Congress submitted a nomination paper in one post of the Zilla Parishad on Wednesday.

State Election Commissioner Y Kumar added that 17 thousand persons would be engaged as poll personnel. Exercise is going on to find out more if deemed necessary. The selected poll personnel would be officially appointed by the SEC on June 21. Following two phases of randomization after the appointment procedure, they would be put through mock poll training. The Commission has already arranged for life insurance of all poll personnel who would serve in the three tier Panchayat election this year.

State Election Commissioner Y Kumar further said that all three tier Panchayat bodies of the state would go to polls on July 15. Polling would start at 7 Am and will continue till 4 PM on the day. He added that counting of cast votes would be held from 8 AM on July 18. The entire Panchayat election process would be completed by July 27. Tenure of the incumbent elected public representative bodies in three tier panchayats of the state is slated to end on August 06.

All 591 gram panchayats, 35 panchayat samities and eight Zilla Parishads of the state are scheduled to go to polls on July 15 this year. A total of 11,08,188 voters were enrolled in the final electoral rolls for the Panchayat polls announced earlier this year. The finally published electoral rolls for municipalities and other civic bodies scheduled to undergo polls this year pegged the figure of voters at 2,957.