EC clears confusion over Tripura poll date after ‘inadvertent typing mistake’ on website

The Assembly elections will be held on February 16, as announced earlier by the poll panel.

State chief electoral officer Kiran Dinkarrao Gitte (centre) convened an urgent press conference to dispel the confusion. (Express Photo by Debraj Deb)

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

Hours after a purported document appeared on its website saying Tripura would go to the polls on February 27, along with Meghalaya and Nagaland, the Election Commission (EC) on Friday clarified that the Assembly polls would be held on February 16 as announced earlier.

“*Inadvertent typing mistake* in polling dates rectified in press note uploaded on ECI site “General Election to the Legislative Assemblies of Meghalaya, Nagaland & Tripura -Media Coverage during the period referred to in Section 126 of the R.P. Act, 1951,” commission director-general and spokesperson Sheyphali Saran tweeted in the evening.

Earlier, state chief electoral officer Kiran Dinkarrao Gitte convened an urgent press conference to dispel the confusion. “There was some confusion regarding date issues on social media. I want to clarify that there are no changes in the election date for Tripura. Elections will be held on February 16,” he said.

Political Pulse | TIPRA Motha rules out seat tie-up with BJP, says will contest 35-45 seats

Asked if an incorrect date was somehow published by the commission, he said, “That would have to be asked of the Election Commission’s director-general. I don’t know about any incorrect date. I have given the correct one.”

Explained Politics | ‘Greater Tipraland’: With Tripura assembly elections in 2023, a lookback at the demand for the state

The commission announced the election schedule on January 18, as per which people will vote in 3,328 polling stations on February 16 and the votes will be counted on March 2.

So far 76 nomination papers have been received from different political parties in 50 out of the 60 constituencies. These include one nomination paper each from the CPI and the CPIML, 38 from the CPM and four from the SUCI—all Opposition parties.