Agartala: The final voter turnout in Tripura by-polls held on Thursday stood at 78.58 per cent.
As per the Election Commission of India report, the Surma assembly constituency under the Dhalai district registered the highest voting percentage at 83.12 per cent.
Jubarajnagar of North Tripura district secured the second position with 83.11 per cent voting turnout. Surprisingly, Agartala-based constituencies—Agartala and Bardowali- recorded less voter turnout when compared with the other constituencies, with 77.35 and 71.13 voting percentages, respectively.
The 8-Bardowali constituency, where Chief Minister Manik Saha, is contesting from, recorded the lowest voter turnout.
Speaking on the issue, Chief Electoral Officer Kiran Gitte said, “The entire voting process has ended within the stipulated time, and poll officials have already returned to the strong rooms with the EVMs.”
Shortly after the voting was over, two opposition parties: the CPI-M and the Congress, flagged their concerns over the violation of the poll process in selected polling stations and demanded re-polling in those stations, alleging that the ruling party-backed miscreants succeeded in capturing booths.
The principal opposition, CPI-M, demanded a re-poll in 22 polling stations of three assembly constituencies: 6-Agartala, 8-Bardowali and 46-Surma, while Congress asked for fresh polls in three polling stations: 6-Agartala constituency, from where heavyweight Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman had contested.
Speaking on the issue, CPI-M state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury said, “People’s spontaneous response foiled BJP’s plans of large-scale rigging and turning these elections into yet another farcical exercise. But a section of the police personnel played into the hands of the ruling party which paved the way for miscreants to rig elections in selected booths. We are demanding fresh polls in those polling stations.”
Hailing the role of voters, Chowdhury said, “The beginning of the end of BJP is here. This government is just a guest of six to seven months. The way people resisted the miscreants to exercise their franchise speaks of their spirit. From our party, we salute the spirit of the electorates.”
Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee President Birajit Sinha also lashed out at the ruling party for deploying its terror squads to prevent voters from approaching the polling station. Sinha demanded re-poll in three polling stations that,, according to him, were under the clutches of “BJP goons”.
Chairman of TIPRA, Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, however, kept his comments reserved until the conclusion of the whole polling process. “Let the elections get complete, and we shall certainly make our views public”, he said.
The Trinamool Congress claimed that people’s democratic rights were robbed by the ruling party.
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