Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Agartala: Tripura’s CPI(M) is pushing back against the State Election Commission. They want to halt the use of Electronic Voting Machines in upcoming Urban Local Body elections. The party claims these machines lack Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail systems. State Committee Secretary Jitendra Choudhury sent two letters to the commission demanding a reversal.
Transparency is the main issue. Choudhury argued that VVPAT systems were created to confirm voting accuracy. He pointed to past incidents where EVM commissioning resulted in mismatched data. The commission made this call without consulting any political parties. Choudhury wants an all-party meeting to discuss a return to traditional paper ballots.
The CPI(M) also went after BJP MLA Md. Tafajjal Hussein. They want an FIR filed against him for inflammatory speech. The MLA allegedly insulted the tribal community during a campaign stop on November 11 at Tamsabari. Ward 12 of the Sonamura Municipal Council hosted the meeting. Witnesses claim he compared tribal food habits and lifestyles to pigs.
Choudhury stated, "The alleged remarks violated the Model Code of Conduct and urged the Commission to lodge an FIR with the concerned police station." The speech spread quickly on social media. It caused major resentment among tribal groups. The party warns that the commission must act or risk looking like it protects elected officials from accountability. While other police complaints already exist, the CPI(M) insists the commission must enforce the code of conduct immediately.
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