CM’s Secretary Pradip Kumar Chakraborty appointed Tripura State Election Commissioner

CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA: Pradip Kumar Chakraborty, Secretary to the Chief Minister of Tripura, has been appointed as the State Election Commissioner, a move considered significant as the state is set to hold two crucial elections by the end of this year. The elections include those for 587 Village Committees, the counterparts of panchayats in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), and 20 civic bodies, including the Agartala Municipal Corporation.

The state government has assured the Supreme Court that the long-delayed Village Committee elections will be held on September 27, while the civic body elections are also scheduled to be held around the same time.

The state government has also carried out a major reshuffle in the civil administration and the police. As part of the reshuffle, senior IAS officer Kiran Gitte has been appointed Secretary to the Chief Minister, in addition to being assigned several other departments. Changes have also been made in several other key departments and at the district magistrate level, which many observers consider significant.

In the police department, more than 44 officers serving in key positions, including district Superintendents of Police, have been transferred. Earlier, 14 officers-in-charge of different police stations were also transferred. Many believe the series of administrative changes indicates that the state is preparing for the two elections.

In another significant move, the state government has appointed Guardian Ministers for all the districts. All ten ministers have been assigned as Guardian Ministers for the state's eight districts. A notification stated that the Guardian Ministers will henceforth oversee development projects in their respective districts.

Also Read: CPI(M) Leader Jiten Choudhury’s ‘Idiot’ Remark for SP Triggers Political Storm in Tripura