There was no mismatch in voter turnout as reported: RO

Agartala, Apr 23, 2024, By Our Correspondent

In the wake of some media reports and complaints relating to alleged discrepancies in voter turnout in some polling stations in the recently concluded West Tripura Parliamentary constituency Returning officer Dr Vishal Kumar in  a statement  said there was no discrepancy and no subversion of the election process.
The RO said, on the basis of the received reports from ARO of all the four concerned polling booths Returning Officer intimated that the referred mismatch is because of the EDC (Election Duty Certificate) votes polled in these polling stations. The location of these polling stations is nearby the ARO headquarter or dispersal centre or strong rooms. In addition, many reserved polling personnel were deployed in nearby areas. Hence, these people have casted their votes in these polling stations through election duty certificate on the election date.
In the ENCORE application, the total electors have been taken as per the Electoral Roll i.e. 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 % of votes casted has exceeded 100% in few polling stations.
With respect to Part No. 44 of 10-Majlishpur Assembly of 1-West Tripura PC, he stated that in the concerned polling Station total assigned voters were 545 and out of such assigned voters 498 casted votes which constitutes 91.37% of assigned voters. Further, 68 voters pertaining to other Assembly segments casted their vote in the said Polling Station with EDCs. As a result total casted votes including EDCs stands as 566 and became 103.85%
10/44- Birendranagar H S School being the nearest polling station from the ARO Headquarter, 
most of the reserve polling personnel and officials of ARO office on election duty preferred to 
franchise their voting right from there only. Hence, the high number of EDC Votes were seen.
With respect to Part No. 44 of 5- Khayerpur Assembly of 1-West Tripura PC, Returning Officer stated that in the concerned polling Station total voters were 1290 and 1053 casted votes. Further, 07 voters pertaining to other Assembly segments casted their vote in the said Polling Station with EDCs. As a result total casted votes including EDCs stands as 1060 i.e. 82.17%
With respect to Part No. 25 of 5- Khayerpur Assembly of 1-West Tripura PC, Returning Officer stated that in the concerned polling Station total voters were 840 and 734 casted votes. Further, 05 voters pertaining to other Assembly segments casted their vote in the said Polling Station with EDCs. As a result total casted votes including EDCs stands as 739 i.e. 87.97%.