A multi-tier security arrangement has been put in place along the 5437-km long international borders with eight northeastern states to foil any cross-border illegal activities before and during the Lok Sabha elections.
Top Army, BSF and Assam Rifles officials are frequently visiting the bordering areas and sensitising their troops deployed along the international fenced and unfenced bordering areas.
Election and security officials separately said that massive security measures are being taken along the 1,643-km long border with Myanmar, the 1,880-km long border with Bangladesh, the over 1,300-km border with China, the 516-km border with Bhutan, and the 98-km border with Nepal.
The Army, Assam Rifles and the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops are guarding the northeastern states’ borders with China and Myanmar while the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are guarding the India-Bangladesh borders with four northeastern states – Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura.
“Our troops are patrolling round-the-clock and stepped up their vigil in view of the Lok Sabha elections to foil any cross-border illegal activities, infiltration, and misadventure during the run-up to the polling,” a senior BSF official told IANS refusing to be named.
He said that additional Director General, BSF (Eastern Command), Kolkata, Ravi Gandhi accompanied by other senior officials visited the India-Bangladesh bordering areas last week and earlier this week and held a series of meetings with all concerned and interacted with the jawans posted along the frontiers.
The official said that following the directions from the Election Commission and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), all-out measures have been taken to further tighten the security along the borders.
The state security forces in coordination with the Central forces are active in the bordering villages and areas to ensure security in the run-up to the elections.
Meanwhile, a large contingent of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) reached different northeastern states last month and they, along with the state security forces, are now regularly patrolling the sensitive, vulnerable, mixed-population, and border areas as part of their “confidence-building measures”.
Elections to the 25 Lok Sabha seats across eight northeastern states will be held in the first three phases of the seven-phase parliamentary elections, with 15 seats, including one partly, going to the polls in the first phase, seven (one partly) in the second phase, and four in the third phase.
Of the 15 Lok Sabha seats going to the polls on April 19 (first phase), five are in Assam and there are two seats each in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur (one partly) and one each in Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
In the second phase on April 26, voting will be held in another five seats in Assam, the other seat in Tripura, and in the remaining part of Outer Manipur.
Polling will be held in the remaining four seats in Assam in the third phase on May 7.
Elections to the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly and 32-member Sikkim Assembly would also be held on April 19.
The counting of votes for the Sikkim and Arunachal Assembly polls would be done on June 2 and for the Lok Sabha elections on June 4.
Vigil strengthened to curb illegal infiltration, human trafficking from B’desh: CM Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said that the state government has taken a series of steps to prevent illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, and the BSF as well as the state forces are on a strict vigil round-the-clock.
70 people convicted in 52 NDPS Act cases in Tripura: CM Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said that the state police have registered 52 cases and 70 people were convicted in the last three years under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985.
NFR achieved key milestones in infrastructure expansion in 2024-25: Officials
Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), which operates in the northeastern states and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar, successfully completed and commissioned 1,141.388 Route Kilometers (RKM) of electrification in 2024-25,
Govt targets to make Tripura self-reliant in fish production: Minister Sudhangshu Das
The state fishery minister Sudhangshu Das on Tuesday said that the government has targeted to make the state self-reliant in fish production and accordingly the government has taken multifaceted initiative to boost fish production in the state.
Tourism to bring alternative economy for Tripura: Sushanta in Assembly
The state tourism minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Tuesday said that the tourism sector in the state will be the backbone of the alternative economy in the coming days. Economic and social development of the local people will be achieved through this industry, he added.
Rs. 24.46 Cr provides as aid to flood-affected farmers: Ratan
In response to an unstarred question by MLA Sudeep Sarkar, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath revealed comprehensive details about the arrangements made by the Farmers Welfare Department to assist flood-affected farmers in the state.
Infra development of Rs 1000 Crore for rural schools underway: CM
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today informed that for the development of educational infrastructure in rural areas, works amounting to approximately Rs 1000 crore are underway under various schemes.
5,520 drug users receive treatment, 612 recovers: Chief Minister
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today informed that as of January 2025, a total of 5,520 injection drug users have received services from Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centers. Of these, 612 have completed treatment and returned to the mainstream of healthy, normal lives.