The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Biplab Deb government of Tripura to take all necessary steps to ensure free and fair civic polls after Trinamul alleged that its cadres were being targeted.

In the order issued by a bench of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Vikram Nath, it was stated that as the election process has commenced, it is the obligation of the respondents to ensure that no political party in fray is prevented from pursuing its electoral rights in accordance with law and from campaigning in a peaceful and orderly manner.

The bench instructed the home secretary and the DGP of the state to ensure that all necessary arrangements are put into place and actions taken according to the order.

Both of them have also been asked to file a joint report of compliance affidavit on steps taken in this regard.

Trinamul had filed a petition that their leaders and workers have been prevented from free recourse to electoral campaigning in the state ahead of the civic polls.

In Tripura, polls will be held in 20 civic bodies on November 25. These include the 51-ward Agartala Municipal Corporation, 13 municipal councils and six nagar panchayats. In all, these civic areas have 5.94 lakh voters and these civic bodies have 334 seats among which the BJP has fielded candidates in all seats and won in 112 uncontested.

Trinamul, a new entrant in Tripura’s political arena, has fielded candidates in 124 seats.

The Left and Congress have fielded around 225 and 100 candidates respectively.

To gear up against the BJP-ruled government in the 2023 Assembly polls, Trinamul is taking civic polls seriously.

The party has sent nine leaders, including five MLAs, to Tripura to join its local leaders to campaign.