Agartala: The Army has been deployed in sensitive areas and security beefed up throughout Tripura to ensure free and fair elections in the state slated for February 26, according to the chief secretary V Thulasidas.

The chief secretary in an address to the people of the state over Doordarshan on February 11 night said that the state government had taken all necessary precaution to make the elections free and fair and the Central government assured all possible help to fend off insurgents trying to disrupt the poll.

He said that the Central government was despatching more paramilitary forces and Army units as required by the state government. The strength of the Border Security Force (BSF) was also increased along the 840-km border with Bangladesh.

The security forces had launched a joint action throughout the state to seize illegal arms and check criminal activities, Thulasidas said, adding that the security situation was being reviewed day-to-day by the government.

For the first time, electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used throughout the entire state during polling.

PTI