Central forces have been deployed in 168 polling stations under the West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency marked for re-poll on Sunday. Chief Electoral Officer Sriram Taranikanti on Saturday said that foolproof security and administrative measures were in place to hold free and peaceful polls. The Election Commission had ordered a re-poll in the West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency after finding serious irregularities in its 168 polling stations. The Opposition parties, the Congress and the CPI(M), had alleged booth capturing and rigging in at least half of the 1,700 booths during the elections held in the first phase on April 11. The parties had demanded fresh elections in the entire constituency.
When its demands were turned down by the EC, the CPI(M) moved the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing in the matter, but the apex court listed the case for regular hearing. The CPI(M) said it would participate in the re-poll.
The Congress also said that it would knock on the doors of the Supreme Court as the “State’s ruling BJP had reduced the entire election to a farce,” but would not boycott the re-poll.