AGARTALA, April 18 - For the first time in Tripura, FIRs would be lodged with police against polling agents, who had engaged in booth capturing and rigging during the voting for West Tripura Parliamentary constituency on April 11.
After scrutiny of CCTV, video footage and documents (presiding officers� diary on the polling day for the prestigious seat, it was confirmed that manipulation had taken place in several polling booths.
Based on the evidence, all the Asst Returning Officers (AROs) have been asked to file FIRs against polling agents who were spotted indulging in the large scale rigging inside the polling booths, said a senior officer aware of the decision.
While CPI(M) had alleged of large scale rigging, booth capturing and threats during the polling for West Tripura seat and demanded repoll in 464 polling stations, Congress had demanded repoll in over 400 polling stations of the total 1,689 polling stations.
Based on the outcry over the polling, the Election Commission (EC) had asked the State poll panel to look into the charges made by the opposition parties. Central Observers, Returning Officer Dr Sandeep Mahatme and Assistant Returning Officers had scrutinised all the footages and documentary evidence on the polling process.
In course of the intense scrutiny, the State poll panel found large scale wrong doings on the polling day.
CEO Sriram Tarinikanta after getting call from the CEC on Thursday left for Delhi with a comprehensive report on the polling process.
�We are waiting for instructions from the CEC to decide over the fate of polling for West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency�, said a senior poll official here.
According to Subal Bhowmik, Congress nominee for West Tripura Parliamentary seat, the EC had assured a party delegation of doing �hundred per cent� justice. �Prima facie, it is proven large scale rigging was carried out during the polling for the prestigious constituency. We do believe that the EC will pay heed to our demand for repoll in over 300 polling booths�, he said.
