From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: The Election Commission of India has ordered repolling in 168 polling stations under West Tripura parliamentary constituency after declaring voting in these booths on April 11 void.
The repolling, scheduled for May 12 (sixth phase), will be the highest for any Lok Sabha constituency in the ongoing elections.
“On the basis of reports submitted by CEO, the special observer, general observers and the returning officer, and after taking all material circumstances into account, the Commission hereby declares under Sub-Sections (2) of Section 58 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 that the poll taken on 11 April, 2019, at 168 polling stations in 1-Tripura West parliamentary constituency against the assembly segments to be void and appoints 12 May as the date and fixes hours from 7 am to 5pm for taking a fresh poll,” a statement issued by the Commission, said.
Tripura West has 1,679 polling booths under 26 Assembly segments.
The Assembly segments include Simna (ST), Mohanpur, Bamutia (SC), Barjala (SC), Khayerpur, Ramnagar, Town Bordowali, Majlishpur, Mandai Bazar, Takarjala (ST), Pratapgarh (SC), Badharghat (SC), Kamalasagar, Bishalgarh, Golaghati, Charilam, Boxanagar, Nalchar, Sonamura, Dhanpur, Bagma (ST), Radhakishorepur, Matabari, Kakraban-Salgarah (SC), Rajnagar (SC) and Belonia.
Meanwhile Opposition parties such as Congress, which had demanded fresh polls in at least 850 polling stations under the Lok Sabha seat, expressed disappointment at the EC directive.
“We can’t be happy. The returning officer had reported 433 booths where web cams were inoperative. We are sorry to note that ECI has failed to discharge impartial duty,” Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president, Tapas Dey told The Shillong Times on Wednesday.
The Tripura Congress had alleged that the EC was under political pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP. It had also warned that it would move Supreme Court if repolling was not held in at least 850 polling stations.
