Tripura VC polls record 81.01% turnout amid re-poll demands

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Sep 29, 2026

Agartala, Sept 29 (FD) The Village Committee elections conducted across Tripura registered a robust voter turnout of 81.01 percent, the State Election Commission (SEC) confirmed on Tuesday. Polling took place across the state on Monday to decide the electoral fate of approximately 8,176 candidates contesting for 500 village committee seats.

Briefing the press, SEC Secretary Anurag Sen stated that voting commenced at 7:00 AM and concluded largely without widespread disruption. Electoral officials are currently cross-checking and validating the provisional turnout numbers against the official tallies submitted by individual Returning Officers across all districts.

However, the post-election atmosphere remains tense following formal demands for re-polling from multiple political parties alongside allegations of localized violence. Addressing these complaints, Sen noted that the Commission has received grievances from specific locations and will not arrive at any conclusion without rigorous examination.

“Before we reach any decision, a report on review reports from the Returning Officer, the District Election Officer, and the observers would be sought,” Sen said, emphasizing that the formal decision regarding re-polling will be announced only after completing the statutory inquiry.

The SEC is also scrutinizing an alleged gunshot incident reported outside a polling center in Matabari Block under Udaipur in Gomati district. Sen noted that because the gunfire took place outside the polling perimeter, the matter is primarily being treated as a law-and-order issue under district police jurisdiction rather than an infraction confined strictly to polling booth management.

In a separate development, regional party Tipra Motha approached the Commission after an armed attack at Wareng Bari in Gomati district, where candidate Kachindra Reang and two supporters were reportedly shot. Reang sustained a bullet wound to the abdomen and was evacuated to Agartala for emergency medical intervention. A Tipra Motha delegation led by MLA Ranjit Debbarma submitted a formal memorandum to the SEC demanding arrests within 24 hours. Concurrently, Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury (CPI-M) criticized the security apparatus, alleging political interference and voting irregularities by both the BJP and Tipra Motha. FD JK