January 9, 2003

Press Release

CPI(M) Leaders Meet CEC

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) submitted a memorandum to the  Chief Election Commissioner today regarding the forthcoming assembly elections in Tripura.  The memorandum stated that Tripura situation has special features.  It is a state with an 856 kilometer international boundary and two major extremist groups -- the NLFT and ATTF -- are active in the state sheltering in the camps across the border.    Like Jammu & Kashmir, this is not a concern for the Tripura state administration alone, but is a national issue.  The Central government  has to ensure adequate deployment of security forces to check the extremist activities.

The CPI(M)  urged the Election Commission to make special security arrangements in the 20 ST reserved seats.  In these seats, the NLFT will intervene against the CPI(M) and the Left Front and will try to prevent people from casting their vote.  Special security measures must be taken to ensure a free and fair poll in these constituencies.

The CPI(M) delegation hoped that just as the  Election Commission ably conducted the polls in Jammu & Kashmir and Gujarat where a special situation prevailed,  the Commission would take necessary steps in Tripura too. 

The Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh  and two other members of the Commission T.S. Krishnamoorthy and B.B. Tandon were present at the meeting with the CPI(M) leaders Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury.

The Chief Election Commissioner informed the CPI(M) leaders that the Commission is aware of the situation in Tripura and the steps to be taken for the polls there.