Tripura records 79 pc voter turnout in panchayat elections

Agartala, Aug 8 (PTI) Polling for the three-tier panchayat elections in Tripura was held largely peacefully on Thursday and a turnout of 79 per cent was recorded, officials said.

There are a total of 6,889 seats in the panchayat system, which comprises gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zilla parishads, and the BJP won 4,805 seats uncontested. Polling was held for the remaining 2,150 seats, they said.

State Election Commission (SEC) secretary Asit Kumar Das told PTI that a voter turnout of 79 per cent was recorded till 4 pm, when the polling was supposed to conclude.

The final turnout will increase as there were a lot of people in the queue waiting to vote, he said.

"The polling was by and large peaceful with no major incident reported," he added.

According to the SEC, re-polling is likely to be ordered in a booth in Kumarghat block of Unakoti district as an error in ballot papers was reported.

AIG (Law & Order) Ananta Das said some minor incidents were reported from a few areas, and security personnel intervened swiftly.

The ruling BJP thanked the voters, poll personnel and security forces for a "smooth and peaceful" election.

"People voted in a festive mood. We are confident that the party will win the remaining seats of the panchayat," state BJP's chief spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said.

The CPI(M) urged the SEC to examine the complaints it lodged.

"Despite forceful victory in 71 per cent seats, the BJP seemed scared to face the opposition in the 29 per cent seats. The ruling party prevented voters from exercising their democratic rights in many places. Though many of our polling agents were forced to flee the booths, the police remained a silent spectator," CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said. PTI PS SOM