Tripura Polls: No Opinion, Exit Polls From Feb 14 To 27. Print Advt Allowed With Committee Nod — Details

Tripura's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) issued a directive on opinion and exit polls as well as print advertising for the upcoming state election slated to be held on February 16.

New Delhi: Tripura's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao on Friday issued a directive on opinion and exit polls for the upcoming state election.

According to the guidelines, opinion polls are not allowed to be broadcast 48 hours before the end of polling. Content, views, and appeal by panel and comments which may influence people will be restricted from February 14, 4 pm. Print publications will be allowed to publish political advertisements on February 15 and 16 but have to take the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) committee's approval for the same.

No opinion polls or exit polls can be shown from February 14 till February 27.

Voter Helpline numbers were issued for all 60 Assembly Constituencies in the state.

Earlier, voting began for Persons with Disabilities voters who wish to vote from their homes. Government employees engaged in the poll process have also cast their votes through postal ballots.

The Election Commission ahead of the February 16 Tripura assembly election has made special arrangements for voting for the people living in Indian territory but outside the barbed wire fencing erected along the international border with Bangladesh.

Tripura CEO Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao on Wednesday said that lists of the voters living outside the border fencing have been given to the BSF authorities. "Our officials have asked the BSF to cooperate with these voters on February 16," he told the media, as per news agency IANS.

As the India-Bangladesh areas bordering Tripura are 'No Man's Land', but several hundred families live outside the fencing but in Indian territory just along the borderline.

There are some gates operated by the Border Security Force (BSF) and whenever the villagers are required to go deep inside Indian territory or to a different location or market or any offices, the Indian villagers take permission from the border guards to move to their places, IANS reported.

The polling in Tripura will be held on February 16. In Nagaland and Meghalaya, votes will be cast on February 27. The results of all three states will be declared on March 2, 2023.