Tripura ruling ally IPFT urges ECI to ensure proper voter list scrutiny

The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) today urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure thorough verification of documents during the preparation of the electoral roll to prevent the inclusion of illegal migrants and ensure that only genuine Indian citizens are listed.

Cooperation Minister and senior IPFT leader Sukla Charan Noatia said a delegation of party leaders met the ECI in New Delhi earlier in the day and submitted a memorandum highlighting various concerns related to the electoral process in Tripura.

“The delegation included IPFT President and former Cabinet Minister Prem Kumar Reang, Vice President Krishna Kanta Jamatia, and General Secretary Swapan Debbarma. We have submitted a detailed memorandum to the Commission regarding several critical issues affecting our state,” Noatia said.

Swapan Debbarma said that the meeting was part of the ECI’s outreach to gather inputs from political parties, particularly in view of the upcoming nationwide implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls — a process that has been piloted in Bihar.

“They wanted to hear our views on the SIR. We provided our suggestions and shared our concerns. We emphasized that proper document verification is essential during the revision process to ensure that only legitimate citizens are enrolled in the voter list,” Debbarma said.

He added that the party had clearly flagged the issue of illegal migration in the state, alleging that many individuals were residing in Tripura with forged documents.

“We urged the Commission to conduct stringent checks and inquiries before enrolling anyone in the electoral roll. This is critical to protect the integrity of the voting process and uphold the rights of genuine citizens,” Debbarma stated.

The IPFT, a regional ally in the state’s ruling coalition, has consistently voiced concerns over demographic changes in Tripura and has demanded stronger steps to address the issue of undocumented migration.