AGARTALA, May 8 - The Election Commission on Wednesday declared re-polling in 168 polling booths of West Tripura Parliamentary constituency. The re-polling is scheduled to take place on May 12.
But the EC order has been strongly opposed by the opposition Left Front and Congress. While the Left Front candidate Sankar Prasad Datta filed a writ petition seeking countermand of the elections and the case has been accepted, Congress was not so happy with the ECI decision.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sriram Tarinikanta promised to conduct the by-election in 168 polling booths of West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency in best possible way. After reviewing all allegations on the polling held on April 11, the EC has ordered re-elections in 168 booths of West Tripura Parliamentary constituency, he said while speaking to the media here on Wednesday.
�We have enough Central forces to effectively guard all the polling booths. Observers are also coming to keep watch over the by-election. Candidates who have already spent Rs 70 lakh cannot spend more in the run up to the repoll�, he said. The political parties will have to take permission if they want to organise election rally or road show 48 hours before the repoll.
According to the CEO, altogether 1,41,251 voters are eligible to cast their votes in the repoll to West Tripura Lok Sabha seat. He also termed the repoll as a disappointing development in the State�s electoral history. The state is having required number of EVMs and VVPATs to conduct by-election.
The repoll has been ordered in view of the large scale rigging, booth capturing and intimidation on the day of polling for West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency.
Speaking to the media, CPI (M) State Secretary Goutam Das said that participation of Left Front in re-poll for 168 seats depends on the verdict of Supreme Court. �We will finalise our stand after considering the order of the apex court�, he said.
PCC vice president Tapas Dey seemed unhappy over the ECI decision on re-poll in 168 polling booths of the prestigious Lok Sabha seat. �It is evident that a sizeable number of voters could not cast their votes on April 11 due to large scale rigging, booth capturing and intimidation by the ruling party cadres. We will declare our future course of action very shortly�, he said when contacted.
However, the ruling BJP is upbeat over the EC decision of re-poll in 168 polling booths out of 1,667 polling stations of the constituency.
