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Over 80% vote in Tripura

GUWAHATI: Over 80 per cent of 20.35 lakh Tripura voters exercised their franchise in the Assembly elections on Saturday to decide the fate of 313 candidates. They used specially customised electronic voting machines.

Chief Electoral Officer G.S.G. Ayyangar told The Hindu that till around 4 p.m. about 80 per cent votes were cast and the final figure was expected to go up to 85-90 per cent. He said voting passed off peacefully and there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere.

There was great enthusiasm among women, who apparently surpassed male voters. Heavy turnout was also reported from tribal- dominated hill areas where voters, in their traditional dress, waited in long queues.

A total of 200 companies of Central paramilitary forces were deployed across the State, while BSF troops kept vigil along India-Bangladesh border.

With Saturday’s poll, Tripura has become the first State in the country where elections were conducted with all voters being provided the Elector’s Photo Identity Card, besides cent per cent use of photo rolls to check rigging and any other malpractice.

Of the 60 constituencies, 20 are for the Scheduled Tribes and seven for the Scheduled Castes. Among the contestants are 30 women.

While the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) has put up 56 candidates, its allies — the CPI and the Revolutionary Socialist Party — have fielded two nominees each.

The Congress has fielded 48 candidates.

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