Shri M. A. Baby, member of Polit Bureau of Communist Party of India (Marxist) met Shri Om Prakash Rawat (Chief Election Commissioner), Shri Sunil Arora and Ashok Lavasa (Election Commissioners) today  and requested for postponement of election to the 19-Charilam Assembly Constituency in Tripura till peace and normalcy is restored in the state.  The CEC assured that after having ascertained all facts, a decision will be taken. 

We are herewith attaching the text of the memorandum submitted to the CEC and the memorandum of Tripura Left Front Committee to the CEO, Tripura.

***

Text of the Memorandum submitted to the CEC

The election to the 19-Charilam (ST) Assembly Constituency in Tripura is scheduled to be held on March 12, 2018. This date of polling was necessitated due to the countervailing of election in Charilam after the death of our candidate there. However, since the announcement of election results on March 3, there have been widespread attacks on CPI(M) leaders, workers and its offices all over the state.  Please see the enclosed memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer, Tripura by the Tripura Left Front Committee.

With a view to vitiating the peaceful election and winning the seat in Charilam, the ruling party – the BJP – has let loose a reign of terror and violence against the CPI(M) and the Left Front.  11 offices of the CPI(M) and the RSP have been either set on fire or ransacked; 58 houses of leaders of the Party and workers have been attacked and looted; and 19 of our workers have been physically assaulted and injured so far.

The situation is such that not  a single booth office of the Party in the constituency remains intact.  Even the District Committee offices of the CPI(M) and the RSP at Bishramganj have been occupied with the police not doing anything to prevent it.

In such a situation, a fair and peaceful poll in the constituency is not possible.  Therefore, we request you to postpone the election in 19-Charilam Assembly Constituency till peace and normalcy is restored.

***

Text of Memorandum by Tripura Left Front Committee to the CEO, Tripura

March 8, 2018
Sir,
Following the election results came out on 3rd March 2018, the unprecedented terror, physical torture, attack on the houses of left supporters mainly targeting the CPI(M) leaders, workers, its offices and its mass organisation offices have been let loose all over the state. The 19-Charilam A/C area is also not spared of such terror and destruction. Rather, aiming to win this seat without least contest, the BJP miscreants are intensified their terror turning the situation in this constituency area to be a worst one. The following facts will help you to realise how grave is the situation prevailing in that A/C area at present:

List of party offices ransacked and looted and occupied.
1. CPI(M) Brajapur Branch Office set on fire
2. CPI(M) Lalsinghmura LC office set on fire
3. CPI(M) Ramchara Branch Office, ransacked looted
4. CPI(M) Parimal Chowmohani Branch Office ransacked looted
5. CPI(M) Herma L.C. Office ransacked looted
6. CPI(M) Sutarmura Branch office ransacked looted
7. CPI(M) Aralia Branch office ransacked looted
8. CPI(M) Bishramganj District Committee Office forcibly occupied
9. CPI(M) Charilam LC office forcibly occupied
10. RSP Bishramganj District Office burnt to ashes
11. RSP Local Office at Charilam ransacked

Name of TMSU office occupied
1. TMSU Bishramganj Office Branch
2. TMSU Charilam Branch

List of houses of leaders and workers, attacked, ransacked and looted
1. Durjoy Debbarma of Bangshibari
2. Angor Debbarma
3. Sudhan Debbarma
4. Shibacharan Laskar of Brajapur
5. Paresh Debbarma of Ramnagar
6. Fulkumar Debbarma of Ramangar
7. Surajit Debbarma of Ramnagar
8. Krishna Debbarma of Herma
9. Sahadeb Debbarma of Herma
10. Ranjit Debbarma of Rangmala
11. Basanta Debbarma of Rangmala
12. Subhas Debbarma of Rangmala
13. Buth a Debbarma of Rangmala
14. Chabita Debbarma of Rangmala
15. Ratan Debbarma of Rangmala
16. Ranjit Debbarma of Rangmala
17. Nishikanta  Debbarma of Rangmala
18. Sukumar Debbarma of Rangmala
19. Sushil saha of Madrasa
20. Kajal Debnath of Madrasa
21. Sukhlal Das of Madrasa
22. Suniti Das of Madrasa
23. Kanulal Saha of North Charilam
24. Billal Mia of North Charilam
25. Alamgir Hussein of North Charilam
26. Paresh Nama of of North Charilam
27. Jyotsna Paul of North Charilam
28. Arun Saha of North Charilam
29. Apan Saha of North Charilam
30. Narayan Chakraborty of North Charilam
31. Tapan Das of North Charilam
32. Khitish Debnath of North Charilam
33. Pradip Das of North Charilam
34. Lalit Das of North Charilam
35. Sentu Das of North Charilam
36. Sanjit Das of North Charilam
37. Naraan Debnath of North Charilam
38. Rabindra Debnath of North Charilam
39. Niranjan Sarkar of North Charilam
40. Nimai Bhowmik of North Charilam
41. Malina Debnath of Chechmai
42. Maniklal Chakraborty of Chechmai
43. Mantu Debnath of Chechmai
44. Pramode Shil of Chechmai
45. Narayan Debnath of Chechmai
46. Kanak Debnath of Chechmai
47. Shrabani Chakraborty of Chechmai
48. Pintu Debnath of South Charimal
49. Nakul Debnath of South Charimal
50. Rakhal Das of South Charimal
51. Shambhu Majumder of South Charimal
52. Sudip Chakraborty of South Charimal
53. Samir Debnath of South Charimal
54. Bishnupada Chakraborty of South Charimal
55. Jhulan Acharjee of South Charimal
56. Prantosh Debnath of South Charimal
57. Parimal Das of South Charimal
58. Anil Debnath of South Charimal

Name of the party leaders and workers physically assaulted
1. Muslem Miah of Madrasa
2. Minar Hussein of of Madrasa
3. Kajal Debnath of Madrasa
4. Suklal Das of Madrasa
5. Suniti Das of Madrasa
6. Nirmal Das of Bankumari
7. Jalil Hussein of Aralia
8. Suman Debnath of Aralia
9. Kanulal Saha of Netaji Colony
10. Kalpana Saha of Netaji Colony
11. Joydul Hussein of Fakiramura
12. Prantosh Saha of Fakiramura
13. Chandan Das of chechrimai
14. Kumode Sukladas of chechrimai
15. Apu Das of chechrimai
16. Khokan Sarkar of of chechrimai
17. Pintu Debnath of of chechrimai
18. Hira Mohan Debnath of chechrimai
19. Ratan Sukladas of chechrimai

In addition to the above fact, not a single booth office raised by the CPI(M) in 19-Charilam (ST) constituency area remains intact. All these were demolished and removed. The police administration is aware of all these incidents. The forcible occupation of CPI(M) District Committee office and arson of RSP District Office  at Bishramganj took place on the eyes of the police of Bishramganj PS which is close of these offices.  BJP miscreants are in frantic search of our party candidate Palash Debbarma who is practically hiding at present.

We are sure, you will agree with us that, this is not a situation conducive to hold election in the said 19-Charilam (ST) A/C in a free and fair manner. For the purpose of extracting a true popular mandate of any election, pre-requisite is the prevalence of normal peaceful atmosphere so that the electors come out to vote without any fear. Such a situation is quite absent in 19-Charilam(ST) area at present.

In view of the above situation, we urge upon you to take up the matter with the Election Commission of India to postpone the election until restoration of normal situation in that area.