The principal opposition party in Tripura, the CPI(M), has written to the Chief Electoral Officer of Tripura, the State Election Commissioner, and the Chief Election Commissioner of India, alleging that subsidy funds are being disbursed in areas where elections are currently underway, potentially breaching election regulations.

In the letter, CPI(M) State Secretary Jitendra Chandhury expressed concern over the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) reportedly approving loans under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) for numerous beneficiaries in the 56-Dharmanagar Assembly Constituency, which is preparing for a by-election, as well as in the TTAADC regions.

Chandhury highlighted that the PMEGP, a credit-linked subsidy scheme run by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), aims to promote micro-enterprises in rural and urban non-farm sectors, providing subsidies of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per beneficiary.

The CPI(M) leader alleged that the KVIC Central Office in Mumbai is directly transferring subsidy amounts into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, despite election rules that prohibit disbursement of discretionary funds once elections are announced.

He cited that such actions, if verified, could violate Sub Rule 5 of Rule VII under the ‘Party in Power’ guidelines, which bars ministers and other authorities from sanctioning grants or payments from discretionary funds during the election period.

The party has urged the Election Commission to launch an immediate probe and, if the allegations are substantiated, to suspend the fund transfers to preserve the integrity of the electoral process. Chandhury also requested the Commission to acknowledge receipt of the complaint and inform them about the steps being taken.