Supreme Court orders more forces for Tripura as TMC alleges rigging in civic polls

Even as Tripura is voting for civic body polls amid a BJP and Trinamool Congress slugfest, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Centre to rush additional central forces to the state.

The court said that two additional companies of central forces should be deployed immediately amid opposition claims of harassment and intimidation of voters by the BJP.

The Trinamool Congress shared a video showing a man apparently to press the EVM button while a woman was in the booth to vote. The party has alleged rigging by the BJP workers.

The opposition Trinamool Congress and CPM in the state told the Supreme Court that since the polling started on Thursday morning, their candidates and supporters were allegedly not allowed to cast their votes.

The Supreme Court, while ordering more central forces to Tripura, added that the personnel will remain deployed in securing the ballot boxes till counting of votes.

Polling began on Thursday morning at 770 booths of Tripura civic polls and the counting of votes will be held on November 28.