CPM stir demanding repolling in 464 booths

AGARTALA

: Reiterating its demand for repolling in 464 polling booths under West

Tripura

constituency, CPM on Tuesday staged a three-hour-long demonstration here and also sought an assurance from the Election Commision (EC) to ensure free and fair polling in East Tripura constituency, which will go to polls on April 18. West Tripura went to the polls on April 11.


Addressing a gathering, leader of the opposition and former CM, Manik Sarkar, said the Left Front had repeatedly requested chief electoral officer (CEO) Sriram Taranikanti to ensure free and fair polls. However, elections in West Tripura constituency turned out to be a farce, he added. "The state administration, in collaboration with the state election machinery, kept the central and state forces out of poll duty, thereby helping the ruling party to rig the entire election process. There is sufficient evidence of rigging in West Tripura but the EC is yet to respond to the our demand of repolling," Sarkar said. The veteran leader went on to say that the CEO had received over 800 complaints during the first phase of polling and that election officials have found evidence of malpractices on the day of polling in West Tripura. Left leaders present urged the CEO to deploy Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in polling stations and on roads under East Tripura constituency and also ensure security of all polling agents.

Taranikanti said the EC is examining each and every complaint regarding election malpractices in West Tripura meticulously. He added that Tripura is the only state in the country where cent per cent webcasting of the election process was done besides videography of all vulnerable polling stations.

Alleging malpractices during polling and voters being threatened, CPM's East Tripura candidate Jitendra Choudhury demanded specific action from the EC to ensure free and fair polls. In a letter, Choudhury urged the EC to make sure that election agents of every political party are present in all the booths and also make arrangements for their safe return. "In West Tripura, it is evident that polling agents of opposition parties were not allowed to reach the booths. In some places, they were pushed out in the presence of security personnel. Even supporters of opposition parties were not allowed to reach polling stations by ruling party cadres," said Choudhury.