Tripura: Over 13 lakh voters to exercise franchise in first phase of LS poll


Devdiscourse News Desk | Agartala | Updated: 10-04-2019 18:06 IST | Created: 10-04-2019 17:45 IST
Tripura: Over 13 lakh voters to exercise franchise in first phase of LS poll
Image Credit: Pixabay
  • Country:
  • India

The stage is set for over 13 lakh voters to exercise their franchise for the West Tripura Lok Sabha seat which would go to the polls on Thursday. Chief Electoral Officer, Sriram Taranikanti said, elections would begin at 7 am and would continue till 5 pm and adequate security arrangements have been made. The CEO said 13,47,381 voters including 6,82,044 male and 6,65,327 female voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 1679 polling stations of the constituency.

"Adequate security measures have been taken, 99 per cent voters have received their voter slips, 30 polling stations would be fully manned by women and a total of 3030 postal ballots have been cast so far for the West Tripura parliamentary constituency," Taranikanti told reporters. Altogether, 13 candidates including BJP's Pratima Bhowmick, CPI(M) nominee Shankar Prasad Datta and Subal Bhowmick of the Congress are in the fray. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechuri have campaigned in the state.

Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla said 64 companies of Central Arms Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed in different areas of the state along with state police and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) for the first phase of the polls. The DGP said since the declaration of the poll schedule 1570 non-bailable and permanent warrants have been executed, 60 election-related cases were registered, 44 accused persons arrested.

Shukla said the BSF has sealed 856 km long Indo-Bangla international border in Tripura so that no untoward elements could enter into Indian territory to carry out any subversive activity. He said 21 polling stations were identified as vulnerable and 111 as critical in West Tripura constituency. Tripura has two Lok Sabha seats - West Tripura and East Tripura. Election to the East Tripura seat will be held on April 18 during the second phase.

(With inputs from agencies.)

Give Feedback