Agartala, Feb 16, 2023, TRIPURA TIMES Desk

Agartala, Feb 16: Tripura recorded 81.10 per cent turnout till 4 pm in the assembly polls on Thursday, according to an official report.

The voting commenced at 7 am in the morning amid tight security and the process is still going on in some booths. The people participated in voting in a festive mood since the morning.

Long queues were seen in almost all the polling stations at the beginning. Technical glitches in voting machines were reported from some booths which were fixed immediately.

The voting percantage was 32.12 per cent at 11 am,  51.42 per cent at 1 pm and 69.96 per cent at 3 pm, according to official reports.

Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who cast his vote at Maharani Tulsibati School in Agartala at 8 am, visited several polling stations in his constituency- Town Bordowali.   

There was no report of any major violence from any corner of the state. The polling remained by and large peaceful so far except a few sporadic incidents.

According to official sources, wherever the authority got any information of any trouble, the security forces immediately rushed to the areas and resolved the problems.

Total 259 candidates including 30 women are contesting in the sixty seats of Tripura.

Meanwhile, earlier on the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J.P. Nadda urged the voters of Tripura to come out and exercise their democratic rights.

“Urging the people of Tripura to vote in record numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy. I specially call upon the youth to exercise their franchise,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

The Union Home Minister wrote, “Urging our sisters and brothers of Tripura to cast their vote to ensure that a development-oriented government is formed and the era of peace and progress that has already started continues smoothly. Come out and vote for a prosperous Tripura.”

An IANS report said, several incidents of attacks on political workers and intimidation and obstruction of voters were reported.

At least 60 opposition party workers were injured when the ruling party workers attacked them in South, Gomati, Sepahijala and West Tripura districts. The main opposition CPI-M alleged that the BJP workers have evicted their candidates' polling agents in more than 25 polling stations in four districts.

A senior police official said that a police constable was suspended in Gomati district for his alleged role in urging people to cast votes in favour of the ruling BJP.

Opposition political parties, including CPI-M and Congress, complained that in several places, including Dhanpur and Kakraban, the ruling party workers obstructed the voters belonging to the opposition parties.