AGARTALA, Feb 13 (TIWN): The much talked Amarpur bi-election began on Saturday amidst tight security.

The election to Amarpur assembly constituency commenced from morning 8 am as per the scheduled program by State election commission.

In order to ensure free and fair election huge security is deployed in and around the polling centres. Security has been tightened in all the polling centers to avoid any untoward incident during the by-elections.

The polling began from 8 AM and is slated to continue till 5 PM respectively. Total seven candidates from six different political parties including one independent are contesting the bi-election.

Reportedly, all the political parties have given their candidates to contest the bi-election to Amarpur constituency. CPM’s Amarpur divisional committee secretary Parimal Debnath is selected as the nominee for the Amarpur assembly constituency.  From BJP, Ranjit Das is named as the nominee for the Amarpur assembly constituency and from congress Chanchal Dey will contest the election.  Apart Nakshatra Jamatia from Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), Pabitra Mohan Jamatia from Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), Bijoy Das from Aamra Bangalee and Ranajoy Jamatia (independent).

51 polling centres have been set up for the bi-elections. However, among 51, eight centres are declared ‘sensitive.’ A total of 38,271 voters would exercise their franchise in the elections. Among them 19,464 are male voters whereas, the rest 18,807 are females.

To ensure 100 percent vote cast special women polling stations is also set up this time at Amarpur. The main objective of opening all-women polling stations to give chance to women folk for playing an important democratic role as per order of Election Commission.

The bi-election for the Amarpur Assembly segment was decided to hold after the CPI-M has kicked off its one MLA of Amarpur Assembly segment Manoranjan Acharjee on charge of moral error.   Interestingly, the party has not given a chance to Acharjee to clarify his stand on the allegations levelled against him. Although the Mother of a five and half year old girl has submitted separate written complaints to Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and CPM party Secretary Bijan Dhar. In the letter, the mother and her father alleged that MLA Manoranjan Acharjee had sexually abused her girl who used to visit him quite often.

CPI-M legislator Manoranjan Acharjee has resigned from the Tripura assembly after the party expelled him on charges of wrongdoing.  Although, Acharjee has denied the charges slated against him.

Sources in the Communist Party of India-Marxist said the action was taken against him followed by a complaint raised by a woman in Amarpur in southern Tripura.

The election process is scheduled to be completed on February 28. The election would be held on the basis of electoral rolls with base year- 1-1-2016. However, the counting would be conducted on February 16.