55 percent polling by noon in Tripura

Agartala, Apr.23 (ANI): Polling in Tripura has so far been peaceful with 55 per cent of the 20,82,205 voters casting their votes by noon in the single phase of polling in of the two Lok Sabha constituencies.

According to a report there was no report of any threat or intimidation from any political party.

The parties also did not complain of booth capturing and vote manipulation in the state. Voters made a beeline to cast their ballots in the morning forcing organisers to cordon off the areas.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and the Left candidate from the West constituency, Khagen Das, cast their votes in Agartala.

In the bordering areas, the gates were kept open for people to cast their vote.

Nilmohan Sarkar, a resident of the bordering Lankamura village said, "The situation is here is peacefully and I voted early in the morning. Most of the people here are farmers and came in the morning to cast their vote so that they can work during the day time."

The casting, however, slowed down considerably after 1100 hours in many places because of hot and unpleasent weather.

Over 2.08 million voters, including 1.01 million women, will decide the fate of 19 contestants, including a woman for the two Lok Sabha seats of Tripura.

Authorities have deployed paramilitary troops in strength in the restive north-eastern state of Tripura amidst threats from militant groups fighting for a separate tribal homeland in the state that shares borders with Bangladesh on its three sides.

The election commission of India declared more than 500 polling stations vulnerable to troubles including militant attacks as preparations are on a full swing for conducting parliament elections in the state slated for April 23.

India is holding its fifteenth parliamentary general elections in five phases on April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7 and May 13 and the new parliament will be constituted before June 2. By Pinaki Das (ANI)