The Election Commission of India Tuesday, ordered re-polling at 168 polling stations in Tripura West parliamentary constituency on May 12 from 7 am to 5 pm. The polls in the constituency were held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 11.
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“After taking all material evidence into account, the Election Commission declared under sub-Sections (2) of Section 58 of the Representation of the people act 1951, that the poll which was taken on April 11, 2019, at 168 polling stations in 1-Tripura West constituency against the assembly segments to be void and appoints May 12 as the date and fixed hours from 7 am to 5 pm for taking a fresh poll, an official statement said.
Tripura West parliamentary seat had recorded one of the highest voter turnouts of over 81 per cent when the constituency went to polls on April 11.
On April 19, Congress and CPI(M) in Tripura approached the poll panel and complained of massive poll rigging and booth capturing in Tripura West constituency. They both held BJP responsible for the mal-practices.
While CPI-M general secretary, Sitaram Yechury alleged that more than 460 booths out of the total 1679 in West Tripura were rigged and BJP workers intimidated voters and forced them to leave the booths and the agents of Left political parties were not allowed to enter inside the booths by the BJP workers’, Congress candidate Subal Bhowmick accused BJP workers of intimidating and threatening voters.
However, BJP candidate and party general secretary of Tripura Pratima Bhowmick refuted the allegations levelled by Congress and CPI-M. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said “people exercised their franchise in a festive mood and voting was completely peaceful.
Meanwhile, the polling for two parliamentary constituencies in Tripura was held in two phases- April 11 and 18. Results of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be declared on May 23.