Tripura municipal polls: SC directs MHA to immediately provide two companies of CAPF
New Delhi, Nov 25: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to provide two additional companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to secure every polling booth during the Tripura municipal polls.
The opposition Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) in the state told a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant and Vikram Nath that since the polling started in the morning, its candidates and supporters have not been allegedly allowed to cast their votes and there is a serious breach of law and order.
The bench directed the DGP and Tripura Home Secretary to immediately review the security arrangements during the municipal polls and make requisition to MHA for additional CAPF, if required.
Each company of CAPF has 100 troops.
It directed the Tripura State Election Commissioner (SEC), DGP and home secretary to ensure polling booths are manned by sufficient CAPF personnel to ensure free and fair elections and every polling official can take help of those personnel, if any exigency arises.
The bench noted that since the state government has submitted before the high court that there is no coverage of CCTV cameras in polling booths, it is allowing unhindered access of print and electronic media during the civic polls.
It clarified that CAPF personnel will remain deployed in securing the ballot boxes till counting of votes on November 28.
On November 23, the top court had refused the TMC's plea for postponing of municipal elections in Tripura and said it is an extreme recourse and last resort to do in a democracy and passed a slew of directions to the state police to ensure free and fair elections.
The top court was hearing a plea of TMC and intervention application of CPI (M) seeking direction to the Tripura government and other officials for ensuring free and fair elections in the Municipal polls.
Polling began in the morning at 770 booths of Tripura civic polls and the counting of votes will be held on November 28.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
