INDIA bloc approaches ECI over "poll manipulation" in Tripura, seeks cancellation of voting

New Delhi [India], April 19 : INDIA bloc in Tripura has asked the Election Commission to countermand the polls of West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency and Ramnagar assembly constituency in the state, citing large scale instances of poll manipulation through booth jamming, intimidation and proxy voting.
The opposition alliance comprising eight political parties with CPIM and Congress being the dominant forces, held a joint press briefing shortly after the polls were over and requested the Election Commission to countermand the polls and conduct fresh elections in the presence of adequate security measures.
As a part of the first phase of polling in the Lok Sabha elections, polling started on time across 1,686 polling centres in the West Tripura Parliamentary constituency.
The opposition has accused the BJP of organising "pre-planned all out rigging" and making the election to Tripura West (Gen) Parliamentary constituency and bye-election to 7-Ramnagar Assembly constituency a "complete farce".
They also alleged that the BJP has started threatening dire consequences if anyone dares to discharge responsibility as polling agent of the INDIA Bloc candidate in Parliament and Assembly constituencies since the closure of the open campaign for the abovementioned two constituencies.
"At the same time, the BJP has resorted to threatening the voters in chunks on whom it has no trust by saying not to come out from their houses to go for casting their votes," they added.
The opposition further alleged that the BJP political "hoodlums" have started preventing the identified voters from coming out of their houses areas after areas.
"Moreover, the BJP hoodlums have resorted to throwing out the voters whom BJP has doubt or lack of political trust from voters' queue including physical torture in barbaric manner," they added.
The opposition also said that the electorate of Tripura West Lok Sabha seat and the7-Ramnagar Assembly seat have been surprised to see the "utter failure of the Election Commission to help and allow a sizeable number of electorate to exercise their franchise and the tall talks and promises made by the Election Commission have become fruitless and teethless".
The bloc, on behalf of the thousands and thousands of deprived electorate, have justifiably raised the genuine demand to the Election Commission to countermand both the election held today, i.e. 1-Tripura West Parliamentary seat and bye-election to 7-Ramnagar Assembly seat.
They have also asked the poll body to arrange a fresh election in an atmosphere where the democratic rights of the electorate are properly protected and the people's confidence in democracy can be restored.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposing parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing to oust him from power.
The second phase will be held on April 26 and the remaining phases will be May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1 accordingly. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases.