Agartala, March 21: The elite Tripura State Rifles (TSR), known for its extensive experience in election-related duties across India, will be deployed in the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam, officials said on Saturday.
A senior Tripura Police official stated that, following a request from the Ministry of Home Affairs, ten TSR companies comprising 778 personnel will be sent to the two poll-bound states. These forces will be responsible for maintaining law and order and ensuring security in the run-up to and during the elections.
Voting for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while polling for the 126-member Assam Assembly is scheduled for April 9. The counting of votes for both states will be conducted on May 4.
According to officials, two ad hoc TSR battalions, each consisting of five companies, will be deployed—one in West Bengal and the other in Assam. The contingents, operating as part of central forces, will be led by Commandants Amarjit Debbarma and Alok Bhattacharjee.
The Ministry had initially requested 25 TSR companies. However, the Tripura government expressed its inability to spare such a large number due to upcoming elections within the state. These include the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections scheduled for April 12 and the Dharmanagar Assembly by-election on April 9.
The TSR currently has 14 battalions, of which 11 are categorised as India Reserve Battalions, making them deployable across the country as per MHA requirements. Over the years, TSR personnel have been deployed in several states, including Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh, during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Beyond election duties, TSR has played a significant role in maintaining security during major events such as the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. The force has also been instrumental in counter-insurgency operations in Tripura, contributing to the containment of decades-long insurgency in the state.
At present, two TSR battalions are deployed with the Delhi Police and at South Eastern Coalfields Limited in Chhattisgarh, while another battalion provides security to ONGC drilling sites in Tripura, highlighting its diverse operational capabilities.
