How is the Bihar Assembly elections security managed with Tripura State Rifles?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Over 400 personnel from the Tripura State Rifles deployed for security.
- Deployment aims to ensure a peaceful electoral process across 243 constituencies.
- TSR has a proven track record in election security and counter-insurgency operations.
- The elections will occur in two phases on November 6 and November 11.
- TSR's professionalism has been acknowledged nationally.
Agartala, Oct 25 (NationPress) Following the orders of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), more than 400 personnel from the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) are set to be dispatched to ensure security for the impending Bihar Assembly elections, officials confirmed on Saturday.
A senior representative from the Tripura Home Department stated that over 400 jawans of the TSR, commanded by Commandant Jyotishman Daschoudhuri, departed for Bihar via a special train on Friday night, with their arrival in Patna anticipated by Sunday night or Monday morning.
In addition, five Assistant Commandants have joined the TSR contingent.
“Upon arrival in Patna, the Election Commission, in coordination with the designated security officials, will determine the deployment of TSR personnel across various districts of the state. The TSR will ensure security during both phases of the Bihar Assembly elections,” the official informed IANS.
The significant elections for the Bihar Assembly are scheduled to occur in two phases, encompassing all 243 constituencies in the state. The first phase of voting will occur on November 6 for 121 constituencies, while the second phase is set for November 11, covering the remaining 122 constituencies.
Tripura's elite force, the TSR, has garnered extensive recognition for its role in securing elections and major events across various states in the nation.
The TSR comprises 14 battalions, predominantly consisting of India Reserve (IR) battalions, which can be deployed to any state as per MHA's requirements.
A few months back, the MHA approved an additional TSR battalion for the state. Currently, two TSR battalions, totaling approximately 2,000 personnel including officers, have been stationed in the national capital under the Delhi Police since 2019, and in the South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) area in Chhattisgarh since 2022.
Beyond these deployments, one TSR battalion is tasked with providing dedicated security to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) drilling sites in Tripura.
During the Lok Sabha elections from April 19 to June 1 last year, TSR personnel were engaged for polling responsibilities in Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, and Himachal Pradesh.
In addition to securing the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, the India Reserve battalions of TSR have previously fulfilled election duties in nearly all states to guarantee smooth and peaceful Assembly and Lok Sabha polling.
Trained in counter-insurgency operations, TSR troopers have exhibited remarkable efficiency in Tripura, successfully mitigating the four-decade-long insurgency in the Northeastern state. The TSR was established in response to the escalating insurgency in Tripura during the 1980s, modeled after the Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMF).
Subsequently, the Tripura Assembly enacted the Tripura State Rifles Act in 1983.
The official conveyed that TSR's contributions toward combating and managing insurgency in Tripura have been widely recognized without any human rights infringements.
The professionalism and high standards of the force have been acknowledged multiple times at the national level. Renowned for its operational versatility and skills in terrain mapping, the force has played a pivotal role in conducting elections in sensitive regions across the country, the official added.