THE Tripura State Election Commission (SEC) issued a notification on July 11 for the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections in the state. The elections will cover 606 gram panchayats with 6,371 GP seats, 35 panchayat samities with 423 PS seats, and 8 zillas (districts) with 116 zilla parishad seats. Voting is scheduled for August 8, 2024, with vote counting set for August 12. Nomination will be accepted from July 11-18, 2024.

GRUESOME MURDER OF CANDIDATE

Secessionist insurgent groups often call for election boycotts to reject democratically elected governments. In Tripura, under the BJP regime, the ruling party's determined effort to win all panchayat seats uncontested effectively amounts to an indirect boycott of elections, denying citizens their right to vote. This strategy has resulted in tragic consequences, including the recent brutal killing of Badal Shil (51), adding to the toll of martyrs in Tripura's democratic struggle. With this martyrdom, the total number of killings under the BJP regime has risen to 30.

On July 11, Badal Shil, a dedicated leader of the CPI(M) and member of the Belonia Sub-divisional committee, secretary of the Srirampur local committee, and state council member of AIKS, filed his nomination for Seat No. 4 of the South Tripura zilla parishad along with several others. The next day, July 12, he participated in a Party march in Rajnagar block related to nominations for gram panchayat and panchayat samity seats. During the march, BJP miscreants armed with lethal weapons obstructed the group, throwing stones and causing injuries to 15 marchers in the presence of police who failed to intervene. After sitting on the road until the end of the nomination period without police assistance, the marchers dispersed in the afternoon. On his way home to Chottakhola, near the market, Badal Shil was attacked by known BJP miscreants who assaulted him with sharp weapons, an iron rod, and wooden objects in front of witnesses. Believing him dead, the assailants fled the scene. He was rushed to Belonia sub-divisional hospital and later referred to GB Panth Hospital, Agartala due to the severity of his injuries. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries on July 13, 2014.

The Tripura Left Front committee, CPI(M) state secretariat, AIKS All India Council, RSP state committee, and Tripura Human Rights Organisation have condemned this premeditated murder and expressed deep concern over the escalating attacks on democracy in the state. Jitendra Chaudhury, CPI(M) state secretary, stated that this is not just the murder of an individual, but a direct assault on democracy orchestrated by those backed by the ruling BJP. In response, the Left Front committee called for a 12-hour Tripura bandh on July 14, 2024, which received spontaneous support from all sections of society.

On the first day of the schedule, despite severe threats from the ruling BJP, the Tripura Left Front committee and CPI(M) courageously filed nominations for a significant number of zilla parishad seats across various districts. This bold move unsettled the BJP, prompting them to deploy paid thugs to block any further opposition nominations starting from July 12. These miscreants were stationed within block premises and along all routes leading to them, effectively preventing CPI(M) and other opposition members from filing nominations in 17 blocks on July 12. Now, the BJP hoodlums have escalated their tactics by threatening CPI(M) candidates who submitted nominations on July 11, 2024, and exerting immense pressure on them to withdraw their candidacies.

The ruling BJP's harsh crackdown on opposition parties, particularly regarding the filing of nominations, did not come as a surprise to the Left parties, including the CPI(M) and others. In response, opposition parties repeatedly urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to implement several measures: (1) enable online nomination submissions or alternatively allow nominations at the DEO (district magistrate's) office, (2) deploy Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMF) instead of state police for election security under an independent authority, (3) install webcasting devices in every polling booth, and (4) restore a pre-election environment conducive to free, fair, and peaceful elections. Despite these pleas reflecting the ground reality, the State Election Commissioner chose to disregard all demands put forth by the opposition.

EVIL DESIGN OF THE RULING BJP

Immediately after the parliamentary election results were announced on June 4, block development officers (BDOs), who also serve as returning officers (ROs) for gram panchayat and panchayat samity seats, began convening all-party meetings to discuss the upcoming panchayat elections. During these meetings in blocks such as Salema, Bamutia, Boxanagar, Bishalgarh, Jirania, Rajnagar, Matabari, CPI(M) and Congress representatives faced verbal harassment, physical assaults, injuries, and disrespectful behavior from BJP representatives inside BDO offices and block premises. Concurrently, threats against potential opposition candidates escalated, with several party offices being vandalised and demolished.

DESPERATE DRIVE FOR WINNING UNCONTESTED

Recently, the BJP secured both Lok Sabha seats in Tripura with over 70 per cent of the votes cast. If this truly reflected the will of the people, the BJP wouldn't fear relying solely on their supporters in the panchayat elections. It's evident to them that the Lok Sabha results were influenced by widespread fear, intimidation, and electoral manipulation.

Since winning uncontested in most incumbent panchayat bodies across all tiers in 2019, the BJP has operated with impunity, with no accountability to the public. These bodies have become instruments for widespread exploitation and embezzlement of public funds. They manipulate government scheme shares, MGNREGA wages, PMAY installments, and oversee syndicates that negotiate with contractors and broker property transactions. Many village roads have become impassable in this monsoon season, exacerbating the suffering of residents already enduring frequent power disruptions. Rural schools face severe teacher shortages, while health centres struggle with critical shortages of doctors and staff. The mounting crises have driven local residents to frequent road blockades across the state in protest.

Over the past five years, not a single gram panchayat has convened a gram sabha to present annual income & expenditure statements or to discuss their performance during their tenure. Likewise, there have been no gram sabhas held to gather public opinion on selecting beneficiaries for government schemes. Social audits were conducted in very few gram panchayats, and the audit reports were often fabricated to conceal misappropriations of substantial funds. Fearful of exposure and eager to retain control, the BJP resorted to any means necessary to maintain their hold on all panchayat bodies.

Chief minister Manik Saha has played a pivotal role in this scheme, addressing a state-level BJP convention at Bhagat Singh Yuba Awas on July 5. During his speech, he rallied BJP cadres to ensure a 100 per cent victory across all panchayat bodies, further entrenching their grip on power through dubious tactics.

On July 16, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed on behalf of the CPI(M) state committee in the Tripura High Court. The court has accepted the petition and scheduled a hearing for July 18. Now, the people of Tripura are eagerly anticipating the court's decision on how effectively it will safeguard the citizens' right to vote and ensure the formation of genuinely representative 'people's panchayats'.