AGARTALA / NEW DELHI
Voter turnout of 74 percent in Tripura assembly polls was recorded till 4 PM. Briefing media in New Delhi this evening, Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain said, the poll percentage is likely to go up as people were still in queues to cast their vote.
Mr Jain said, polling in the northeastern state passed off peacefully.
No incidents of violence were reported from anywhere and two crude bombs were recovered which were disposed off.
A total of 292 candidates, including 23 women and many independents, are in the fray. Counting of votes will take place on March 3.
Voters, candidates and leaders of all political parties expressed anger over the malfunctioning EVMs-VVPATs.
In the 2013 and 2008 Assembly polls, Tripura witnessed record balloting at 92 and 91 per cent respectively.
“The Election Commission put up specially modified EVMs attached with VVPATs at all 3,174 polling stations. We replaced or rectified faulty EVM-VVPATs and voting resumed in those polling stations afterwards,” Additional Chief Electoral Officer Tapas Roy said.
“Voting was entirely peaceful and incident-free. A large number of electorate, including women, are still standing in queues at hundreds of polling stations. The voters who entered the polling station complex before 4 p.m. will be allowed to cast their ballot even till late night.”