Tripura sees highest voter turnout among 21 states that went to polls in Phase 1 of Lok Sabha elections

Meanwhile, around 23,000 voters were seen standing in queues after the polling hours in front of 332 centres in different parts of the state, said the returning office.

Speaking to reporters this evening, West Tripura Parliamentary constituency Returning Officer Vishal Kumar said, “As much as 80.40 percent voter turnout was recorded till 5 PM. This figure is likely to increase by 2-3 percent since there were 23 thousand voters or so in front of 332 polling centres after the end of the polling hours.”

He also said several complaints of intimidation, obstruction of voters from turning up at polling centres and assaults on polling agents were received and said all of those were acted upon.

However, Kumar said that only around 20 per cent of these complaints could be verified to be genuine and additional forces were provided and arrests were made in areas where disturbances were confirmed. All the other complaints were found to be false, he said.

Meanwhile, two polling officials were suspended in Ramnagar assembly constituency, which falls under the West Tripura Parliamentary constituency, after they were found allowing multiple people in the voting compartment at the same time.

The Ramnagar Assembly constituency, which fell vacant after sitting MLA Surajit Dutta died in December last year, also underwent polling on Friday and recorded 67.81 percent turnout till 5 pm.

Allegations by INDIA bloc

The INDIA bloc accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of perpetrating extensive violence, hooliganism, physical assaults, obstructing voters from turning up at polling centres to cast their mandate and denying opposition polling agents entry into polling centers.

After the polling hours were over, the INDIA alliance demanded to scuttle the entire poll process and re-conduct the elections at the West Tripura Parliamentary constituency and the Ramnagar Assembly seat.

“The CEO admitted that they could not arrange three-tier security due to lack of adequate force. If this was the case, why were the polls held? Voters were prevented by outsiders. I had said earlier that the voter turnout will decline. It was so. We feel sad that the democratic rights of the people were snatched away. So, we demand to declare the election null and void and re-conduct the poll,” Tripura INDIA bloc co-convener Sudip Roy Barman said.

Meanwhile, on its part, the BJP thanked the electorate for exercising their adult franchise rights and said the elections were held peacefully and in festive mood.

West Tripura Parliamentary constituency Returning Officer Vishal Kumar was seen casting his vote in Agartala in the afternoon. Former Tripura Chief Minister and BJP’s West Tripura Parliamentary constituency candidate Biplab Kumar Deb cast his vote at Udaipur English Medium Higher Secondary School in Gomati district and expressed confidence on victory. He said people had turned up in huge numbers since morning to cast their votes.

Former chief minister and CPI(M) politburo member Manik Sarkar cast his vote in Agartala too and said he had a systematic voting experience and said if free and fair polls are ensured across the West Tripura Parliamentary constituency, a “magic result” will emerge.