[Tripura Municipal polls] Provide two additional CAPF companies, media to be given unhindered access: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to provide two additional companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to ensure that municipal elections underway in Tripura can take place without disruptions..The Court also ordered that print and electronic media be given unhindered access to cover the poll proceedings. "We direct that in the absence of the installation of CCTV cameras, both the electronic and the print media should have unhindered access for full reporting and coverage of the election process. Directions to effectuate this part of the order shall be issued by the Director General of Police, State Election Commission and the Secretary in the Department of Home Affairs of the State of Tripura to all the polling officers and other concerned personnel on the ground," the order stated..The Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant and Vikram Nath was hearing a batch of pleas including one filed by All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) seeking additional security in Tripura during the municipal elections on account of political violence in the State. Late Wednesday night, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had also moved the Supreme Court alleging attacks on their party workers by ruling BJP..Appearing for TMC today, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan claimed that they had received videos of others pressing polling buttons before old people could get inside the polling booths to vote..Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the State of Tripura, informed the Court that two additional companies of the Border Security Force (BSF) were already deployed. He said,"Polling is absolutely peaceful since 7 am. The only hindrance to free and fair polls is from CPI(M) and Trinamool."After a brief discussion, the Court said,"Instead of doing a anti mortem or post mortem now, we will direct DGP and MHA to provide two additional companies of BSF to polling booths.".The order passed by the Court stated,"We direct that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to provide additional two companies of any CAPF as expeditiously as possible having due regard to the fact that polling has already commenced and in order to secure the polling booths so that polling can take place without any disturbance or dislocation. The Director General of Police and Secretary in the Department of Home Affairs of the State of Tripura shall immediately review if there is any additional requirement of further deployment, over and above the above direction and if so, communicate it to the Department of Home Affairs of the Government of India for necessary action. Any such request having due regard of the statement made by the Solicitor General shall be duly considered"The Bench also called for arrangements to be made to re-deploy CAPF personnel to ensure safe collection of ballots and smooth declaration of results..The matter was listed for further hearing next week, with the parties given liberty to approach the Court in case of any urgent situation..On Tuesday, the Court had refused to postpone the municipal elections, while taking serious note of the various incidents of political violence in the run up to polls, and issuing a slew of directions to the State and Police authorities..The CPI(M) in its plea said that its workers and sympathisers are being threatened against exercising their franchise for the polls. The party sought to intervene in the writ petition filed earlier by TMC making similar allegations..[Tripura Municipal poll violence] SC says postponing elections is the last recourse, issues directions for fair elections.[Read a live account of the hearing here].[Read Order]