Agartala: The ruling BJP in Tripura won 96 per cent seats of three tier-panchayat bodies uncontested, when the Opposition Congress, the CPM and its own ally, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) have alleged violence during submission of nominations.

The Opposition parties and the IPFT had demanded a deferment and rescheduling of the poll process, giving enough time to them for filing nomination papers as the process was marred by violence. However, the State Election Commission has denied any such chance.

Speaking to reporters, state election commissioner G. Kameshwara Rao on Tuesday said byelections to the 3,207 seats of gram panchayats, 161 panchayat samiti seats and 18 seats of zilla parishads were announced on September 01.

"Over 96 per cent of these seats went uncontested which the BJP won. Only 132 gram panchayat seats are now open to byelections along with 7 seats of panchayat samiti. All seats of zilla parishad were won uncontested by the BJP."

The Opposition CPM and Congress have alleged largescale violence by BJP supporters and have demanded a deferment of the poll process.

Rao on Tuesday clarified that there is no "scope" of deferring or postponing the byelections because there is no allegation against block development officers who act as returning officers for gram panchayat and district magistrates, who act as returning officers for zill parishad elections.

"September 11 was the last date of filing nomination papers while scrutiny of submitted nominations was done on September 14. After withdrawal of nomination papers, 296 candidates are now in the poll fray across 132 seats of different gram panchayat bodies," he said.

He said ballot papers would be use in the election which are printed and would be sent to the booths which would be dispatched to respective booths on Wednesday, the official said.