80% votes polled in Tripura by-elections for reserved seats

Over 80% turn out was recorded on Saturday during voting for by-election to two reserved seats in Tripura passed.

"There was no report of any untoward incident from any part of the two constituencies – Pratapgarh in West Tripura district and Surma in Dhalai district. Vote remained peaceful," SP (police control), Uttam Bhowmick said.
A spokesperson of the state election department here said, more than 80 per cent voters cast their votes for the by-elections today.

An estimated 50,018 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fortune of five candidates in the Pratapgarh constituency of West Tripura district, while 42,052 electors would resolve the fate of four aspirants in Surma constituency in Dhalai district.

The Pratapgarh seat fell vacant due to the death of CPI(M) veteran and former minister Anil Sarkar while the by-poll was required for the Surma seat as its sitting MLA Sudhir Das died.

Sarkar won from his constituency for eight times at a stretch since 1978 and Das won the Surma seat on five consecutive occasions since 1993. The ruling CPI(M), opposition Congress and BJP fielded their candidates and all are hopeful of winning the seats.