Agartala, : With the directives of the Supreme Court, CPI (M) candidate in West
Tripura parliamentary constituency Shankar Prasad Datta has filed aWrit Petition
(WP) to Tripura High Court seeking appropriate direction to hold election to the seat afresh.
In the petition Datta demanded to discard the election held in first phase on April 11
last and order for fresh polling. On the announcement of repoll in 168 polling stations of West Tripura by ECI, Datta had moved Supreme Court and sought priority hearing of the case but the apex court rejected it.
However, hearing the petition in the vacation bench Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Sanjeev
Khanna asked the petitioner to file the case before the High Court. Accordingly,
Datta filed the petition yesterday seeking fresh poll in the seat and withdrawn
the petition from the apex court.
Presenting his argument in favour of the writ, the petitioner stated that report of the returning
officer of the constituency there were massive rigging and malpractices in the
first phase election. The statement of CEO and subsequent action of ECI has
also established it. But, the returning officer mentioned in his report that
though election was vitiated in 433 booths,the ECI ordered repoll only in 168.
“We wanted to know from ECI, how come they reached the figure of 168 for repoll and why
election to rest of the booths was not accepted. But the ECI responded properly, which
established that the demonstration of democracy was not proper in West Tripura.
We have no option left except to seek justice from the court,” Datta
said.
The Supreme Court declined to allow an urgent hearing on the writ petition challenging ECI decision of re-polls in the constituency and the Chief Justice Rajan Gogoi
rejeced the plea and said the court finds no urgency in the
petition.
Meanwhile, Tripura PCC vice- president Pijush Kanti Biswas said that on behalf of AICC
senior leader Joyram Ramesh had filed the writ petition seeking the SC’s
intervention for ordering re-poll in 433 polling stations in the apex court,
which would be heard in a day or two. The Congress has also asked CEO to
provide them the video footage of all 433 polling booths, which would be used
as their evidence.
On the other hand, a CPI (M) delegation met CEO Sriram Taranikanti today and demanded
strong security arrangement for counting process. They also sought urgent
action against post poll violence in the state. They demanded to provide security
for the counting agents of the opposition parties, as ruling party miscreants have
been threatening the opposition workers.
UNI.
