Over 52% votes cast in Tripura West till 1 pm amid allegations of vote rigging

The Tripura West Lok Sabha constituency registered a voter turnout of 52.67 per cent till 1 pm on Friday amid allegations of irregularities.

The opposition Congress and CPI(M) alleged that large-scale "rigging" happened in several places across the constituency, with the Election Commission saying that it received some complaints and was looking into those.

In the by-election to the Ramnagar assembly seat, which was being held simultaneously, a turnout of 43.01 per cent was recorded till 1 pm.

"Polling has been largely peaceful. Some complaints of stopping voters from going to booths, driving out of polling agents and malfunctioning of EVMs were received. We are checking all the complaints," Tripura West's Returning Officer Vishal Kumar said.

Security forces are keeping a close watch on the situation, he said.

"The way voters are coming to the booths despite the scorching heat, we expect that the turnout would be 80 per cent by 5 pm," he said.

State Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha, the CPI(M)-backed candidate in the Tripura West seat, alleged that besides "rigging", his supporters were being threatened.

"The election has turned into a farce with BJP-backed goons attacking polling agents of the opposition. We are receiving reports of attacks on our polling agents from different places, including Udaipur, Belonia and Sonamura. The situation is worst in the Ramnagar assembly seat," he alleged.

Congress-supported CPI(M) candidate in Ramnagar Ratan Das alleged "goons" drove out his agents from most of the booths.

"They started threatening the agents since last night. We are unhappy with the role of the Election Commission," he said.

Chief Minister Manik Saha said the EC has assured that voting would be held in a free, fair, and peaceful manner.

On the allegation of rigging, he said, "If anything such thing happens, the Election Commission will take steps. Rigging or violence is not supposed to take place during the elections." He said the BJP has been working for the welfare of all sections of society.

"The BJP government has been working relentlessly for the people. I appeal to the voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right by joining the festival of democracy," he told the press after casting his vote at the MTB Girls' School.

Altogether 14.61 lakh people are eligible to vote in this phase of Lok Sabha polls in Tripura. Congress has pitted Saha against BJP's Biplab Kumar Deb, the former CM, in the Tripura West seat.

In the Ramnagar assembly constituency, where 54,669 voters are eligible to vote, BJP has fielded Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder against CPI(M)'s Das.