EC Move Disappointing, Re-Poll Should be Held in Tripura West: CPI-M

It said that there had been widespread rigging and prevention of voters from exercising their franchise by the ruling BJP during the polls held on April 12.

The CPI-M on Wednesday voiced its “deep sense of disappointment” over the Election Commission’s order to hold polling void in 168 booths of the Tripura West Lok Sabha constituency, saying a re-poll should be held in the entire constituency.

“There had been widespread rigging and prevention of voters from exercising their franchise by the ruling BJP during the polls held on April 12,” a statement by the Communist Party of India-Marxist said.

“We firmly hold that this order is not in consonance with the ground reality and obviously too little and too late in ensuring a free and fair poll where more than half the electorate was actually unable to exercise their right to vote…Nothing short of a re-poll for the entire Tripura West parliamentary constituency will serve the purpose of a free and fair poll and protecting the rights of the voters,” it said.