Rejecting the CPI(M)’s complaint of “irregularities” as voter turnout had exceeded 100 per cent in few polling centres under Tripura West Lok Sabha seat, the Returning Officer (RO) of the parliamentary constituency said that the mismatch is due to  the reserved polling personnel of nearby areas have casted their votes in these polling stations.

The voting was held in the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat in the first phase of election on April 19.

The RO Dr Vishal Kumar in his inquiry report said that there is no discrepancy or subversion of the election process in the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat.

He said : “A report has been obtained from the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) of all the four polling booths and it has been seen that the mismatch is because of the votes of the election officials with Election Duty Certificate (EDC) polled in these polling stations.

The location of these polling stations is near by the ARO headquarter or dispersal centre or strong rooms. In addition, many reserved polling personnel were deployed in nearby areas. These people have casted their votes in these polling stations through EDC on the election date.”

In the ENCORE application, the total electors have been taken as per the electoral roll (total electors in the polling station).

EDC is not added in the total column in ENCORE. However, EDC vote is added in the total vote casted. Hence, the percentage of votes casted has exceeded 100 per cent in few polling stations, the RO in his report said.

On the issue, senior lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan said on the X : “As 'Voter Turnout Exceeds 100 %', Calls for Fresh Polling Surface in Tripura West Lok Sabha Seat. Wow! This is booth capturing with EVMs. Puts paid to the EC claim that EVMs have eliminated booth capturing.”

The opposition CPI (M), alleging booth capturing and rigging, on Monday demanded for countermanding of elections, and fresh voting, in Tripura West Parliamentary constituency.

Immediately after the polls on April 19, the INDIA bloc, comprising the Congress, the CPI(M) and six other parties, alleged large-scale booth capturing, intimidation and malpractices and demanded the countermanding of elections to the seat.

CPI(M) Tripura state Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury, in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Monday, submitted data from statements made by the Tripura Election Department about polling in parts of three Assembly segments under Tripura West Lok Sabha seat.

Citing the data of votes polled and the eligible electorates, he claimed that voter turnout had exceeded 100 percent in the four polling centres of Majlishpur, Khayerpur, and Mohanpur Assembly segments.

Alleging that the polling figures show a “mismatch” with real figures on the ground, Chaudhury, in his letter, had said: “The records of the statement of the Election Department unequivocally vindicates that, the election to Tripura West parliamentary constituency and the by-election to Ramnagar Assembly constituency, which is a part of same Lok Sabha seat, were not held in a free, fair and normal manner.”

Such mismatched polling percentages may happen only when the booths are captured and completely rigged in an organized manner, he had said in the letter.