Tripura polls: Border with Bangladesh, inter-state boundaries to be sealed from Monday

Triura's international border with Bangladesh as well as inter-state boundaries will be sealed from Monday (13 February) in a bid to ensure free and fair assembly elections, reports Indian media.

Polls to the 60-member assembly of the neighbouring country's northeastern state will be held on Thursday (16 February).

"The international border with Bangladesh and the inter-state boundaries with Assam and Mizoram will be sealed from Monday, following instruction from the Election Commission," Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao, the polls chief electoral officer (CEO), told reporters on Sunday (12 February).

He said that the Border Security Force (BSF) – which has been "maintaining strict vigil along the India-Bangladesh border" – has been asked to seal the boundary for free and fair elections.

Authorities will launch checking at hotels, hostels and marriage halls from Monday, 72 hours before the polling, to ensure that "outsiders do stay in a particular area where he or she is not a voter," Dinakarrao added.

Stating that the ongoing campaign for the ensuing elections will end at 4pm on Monday, the CEO said that candidates can request their respective returning officers to enhance security arrangements during the voting if they face threats and intimidation.

The casting of votes through postal ballots for polling staff, security personnel and other officials is scheduled to be over on Monday, he said adding that counting votes will take place on 2 March.