Elections to the Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council were held today. There was peaceful and heavy polling. From the early morning, tribal and non tribal masses, especially the women in large numbers,were standing in queues before the polling booths to exercise their democratic right. For the 28 seats of the ADC, 175 candidates including 10 women were in the fray. Around 7.58 lac voters were eligible for voting. For the first time in the history of ADC elections polling were held using evm. From the morning itself brisk polling in most of booths were witnessed. No untoward incidents barring technical slag in a few evms were reported. The festive mood was evident as in a number of places tribal women came to vote accompanied by their children. In a number of places local shopkeepers put up stalls of food items . The state election commission had made elaborate arrangement for free fair and peaceful poll in all the 1070 polling stations, with more than 13000 state and central security personnel entrusted with the duty of conducting an incident free vote. However, barring the death of a voter standing in queue in Shantipur of Machhmara constituency no news of casualty or even minor clashes were reported .
The state election commissioner S.K. Rakesh told the media in Agartala that no untoward incident has been reported and no political party has complained about any irregularities. In 10 polling booths evms had to replaced. According to primary estimates 82.9%polling was recorded. This might increase slightly. He congratulated the electorates and all the other stakeholders for this free fair and peaceful conduct of the poll . The counting will take place on 6th of May. The Tripura Left Front Committee and CPI ( M ) Tripura state secretariat in separate statements congratulated the electorates for exercising their democratic right in a massive number with a festive mood maintaining the legacy of peaceful polling. It also expressed gratitude to the state election commission, security forces and all the other asociated with the polling process .