Tripura polls 'largely violence-free', Bru voters cast vote after several years

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Thursday said the Tripura assembly polls remained "largely violence-free", with Bru migrant voters being able to exercise their franchise for the first time in many years.

The tentative voter turnout was recorded at around 80 per cent. Final turnout figures will be known by Friday, it said.

No complaints have been received so far by the EC demanding repolling, EC officials said.

"There have been no reports of any major violence or attack on candidates or (polling) agents, intimidation of voters, throwing of bombs, repoll (or) damage to EVMs. As against 168 repolls in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, today's polls in 60 assembly seats in Tripura have been largely peaceful with no (demand for) repoll reported so far," the poll panel said.

"Minor instances" of violence which were reported were promptly looked into by local teams, it said.

For the first time in many years, Bru migrant voters were able to exercise their franchise. Special efforts were made to enrol voters from the Bru community. Some 14,055 eligible Brus were enrolled in the state in 12 locations. They cast their votes at these locations spread across four districts.

A 25-fold increase in seizures amounting to Rs 44.67 crore was recorded this time as against the 2018 assembly elections, when the figure stood at Rs 1.79 crore.

Increased seizures were witnessed under all heads -- cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies.

The EC referred to a statement of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar that violence before, during and after elections is left only in a few states and there is no place for poll violence in a democracy.