Tripura polls: 25L voters decide ruling CPI(M)'s fate

The CPI(M) has been ruling Tripura since 25 years under the leadership of Manik Sarkar, who's eyeing a record fifth term. It has fielded 57 candidates.

Meanwhile, the BJP has joined hands with the IPFT, which wants a separate state for tribals, and is fighting 51 seats.

The Congress is going it alone.

The tenure of the current assembly ends on March 6.

Voting is being held up to 4pm at 3,174 polling stations across Tripura. Forty-seven of them are completely managed by women.

Half of the state's 25L voters are women. There are 11 third gender voters.

47,803 new voters have been added this time.

For security, 300 companies of central security forces have been deployed and the 856km India-Bangladesh border sealed.

Till 1pm, 46% turnout had been recorded. Snags in EVMs were reported from over 150 polling stations, which slowed down voting.

Over 180 engineers are working to correct the flawed machines, EC officials said.

Congress' Birajit Sinha and CPI(M)'s Bijoy Laxmi Singha alleged "rough behavior" from security staff on duty, but there are no reports of violence yet.

This time, ITBP Director General RK Pachnanda has been appointed special observer to ensure free and fair polling.

But CPI(M) has objected to reports of a closed-door meeting between the special observer and the state BJP president at the Chief Electoral Officer's chamber.

The "unusual" appointment and the meeting have "created confusion among the people," the CPI(M) alleged.