West Tripura DM Mahatme removed following rigging allegations

The EC on Thursday removed West Tripura District Magistrate Sandeep Namdeo Mahatme who is also the Returning Officer of West Tripura Lok Sabha seat, where opposition parties are demanding re-poll in many booths alleging large-scale rigging by the BJP during voting there on April 11. Mahatme was replaced by East Tripura RO and District Magistrate of Dhalai, Vikash Singh.

EC secretary Arvind Anand wrote to state Chief Electoral Officer Sriram Taranikanti that Mahatme was "relieved and shall not be given any election related posting". The Election Commission also asked the Tripura government to send to it names of a panel of officials for posting as district magistrate, who would be District Election Officer of Dhalai district.

Opposition parties including the CPI (M) and the Congress have demanded removal of Mahatme claiming that his role was not impartial during the polling in the constituency on April 11. Mahatme refused to take questions from the media and said he is proceeding on leave. After the allegation of rigging in West Tripura, the EC had postponed voting in the East Tripura, the other Lok Sabha seat in the state, to the third phase on April 23 from April 18, saying the prevailing law-and-order situation there is not conducive for holding free and fair poll. The Congress and the CPI(M) welcomed the decision.