Tripura records nearly 88% voter turnout in Feb 16 Assembly polls

Nearly 88 per cent of voting was recorded in the one-day Tripura assembly elections, which were largely peaceful, a senior EC official said on Friday.

The elections to the 60-member assembly were held across the northeastern state on Thursday.

An average of 87.63 per cent polling was recorded in the assembly elections, which went till 8.30 or 9 pm on Thursday. The figure excluded the number of polled postal ballots, Additional CEO Subhasish Bandhopadhyay told PTI.

Of the total 28.14 lakh voters, over 24.66 lakhs have exercised their franchise, he said.

Tripura had, in the 2018 assembly elections, recorded 89.38 per cent voting, while the highest poll percentage was 93 in 2013.

Notably, the Town Bardowali assembly constituency, where Chief Minister Manik Saha is pitted against Congress nominee Asish Kumar Saha, witnessed the lowest voter turnout at 80 per cent, while the Manu assembly seat in South Tripura recorded the highest polling percentage at 92.09, the official said.

Over 90 per cent of voting was recorded in several assembly constituencies in the February 16 polls, he said.

All the polled EVMs were kept in 36 strong rooms where tight security arrangements have been made, besides round-the-clock CCTV surveillance, he said.

There will be a three-tier security arrangement for the March 2 counting, he said.

The polling was largely peaceful, barring a few incidents in some areas. Five people were injured and six were arrested based on five specific FIRs during the polling day, Inspector General (IG) police G K Rao told reporters on Thursday.

BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee congratulated voters for participating in the election process and thanked the Election Commission and security forces for ensuring free and fair and peaceful polls.

The CPI(M) and the Congress also thanked electors for participating in the elections.

The ruling BJP fielded candidates in 55 of the 60 constituencies in Tripura, while its ally - the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) - put up nominees in six seats.

The Left Front, which lost to the BJP-IPFT combine in 2018 after a 20-year-long stint, is contesting in 47 seats.

The Congress, which has allied with the Left in the state for the first time, has fielded candidates in 13 assembly segments

The regional Tipra Motha is also in the poll fray from 42 seats without any ally.