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Agartala, Feb. 16: Tripura registered the highest polling percentage recorded in the country so far when a whopping 93.57 per cent of the 2,35,5,446-strong electorate cast its ballots on February 14 in the 60 Assembly constituencies of the state.
The state election department took two days to compile its final report.
This is the highest polling percentage in the country. The earlier record was held by Sikkim, which recorded a 87 per cent turnout in the 2004 Assembly elections.
Tripura has always been one of the high poll turnout states, with percentages varying between 85 and 90 per cent despite long bouts of insurgency in the eighties and the nineties.
In the 2008 Assembly polls, 92 per cent voters had cast their votes.
“This time, women have outvoted their male counterparts. Of 1,19,8,970 male voters, 90.89 per cent voted. Among 1,15,6,476 female voters, 93.02 per cent voted on EVMs,” said chief electoral officer Ashutosh Jindal, describing it as a tribute to the political consciousness of women in Tripura.
Regarding postal ballots, he said 50,000 polling and security personnel were to cast postal ballots. Altogether 38,000 voted through postal ballot and those who could not vote would be allowed to cast ballots till February 27, provided they were sent from outside the state.
He added that Malirai Roaja para —the smallest polling booth in Raima Valley (ST) Assembly constituency, 185km from Agartala — had only 86 registered voters but of them, 80 had cast their votes.
Jindal said 95.12 per cent turnout was recorded at Boxanagar Assembly constituency under Sonamura subdivision of Sipahijala district, while the lowest percentage was recorded at Banamalipur Assembly constituency, in the heart of Agartala town with only 84.26 per cent.
“Among the special measures introduced for the elections, we had set up specially modified EVMs, deployed 18,000 polling personnel and more than 20 women for four polling stations exclusively handled by women. Besides, 2,000 micro-observers had assisted 48 general expenditure and police observers in the election,” said Jindal.
With Karbook and Majlishpur tense over post-poll clashes, most of the candidates are now in their constituencies.
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