AGARTALA, July 3 (TIWN): The State government today reiterated the demand of central forces for the coming three-tier Panchayat election with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Resident Commissioner of Tripura Bhawan, New Delhi, had a meeting with the Joint Secretary of MHA. Sources inside the Home Department said that the Joint Secretary was almost convinced with the demand to release at least 17 training companies of the Border Security Forces (BSF) for election duty in the state.

The State Election Commission earlier sought 40 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for poll duty following demands from most political parties for central forces in election duty. After the MHA nipped the issue in the bud, the Commission sought release of 17 training BSF companies stationed in Tripura for Panchayat election duty.

A source in the State Election Commission later said that few Village Committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) would undergo election as vacancies were created in them in the past few years. The Village Committee election is expected to be held concurrently with election of two gram panchayats where contesting candidates died after the final date of withdrawal of nomination papers.

Security personnel deployment in all 35 strong rooms across the state was over by Thursday. With no central force allowed for election duty, the Commission manned the strong rooms using TSR jawans for the time being. Eight more block authorities checked and collected ballot papers from the Government Press today. The process of ballot paper distribution that started on Wednesday is expected to be completed by July 07.