Notice to BJP MLA in Tripura for manhandling booth level officer, FIR lodged against party’s district president for assaulting officer

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Polling officials carry EVMs and VVPAT machines to a strong room at the end of East Tripura 2nd phase of Lok Sabha elections, at Dharmanagar. File

Polling officials carry EVMs and VVPAT machines to a strong room at the end of East Tripura 2nd phase of Lok Sabha elections, at Dharmanagar. File | Photo Credit: ANI

A BJP MLA in Tripura was served notice by the District Election Officer for allegedly manhandling a polling officer during voting for Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency while an FIR has been lodged against BJP district unit president for reportedly assaulting a presiding officer on April 26, an official said on April 29.

BJP MLA of Bagabassa Assembly constituency Yadav Lal Nath was served a notice by the District Election Officer (DEO) on April 28 for allegedly manhandling a booth level officer (BLO) at a polling booth in North Tripura district, the official said.

The BJP MLA and his associates had entered the booth under Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency and allegedly manhandled BLO Chinmoy Das during polling on April 26, he said.

Based on the allegation, the District Election Officer (DEO), Debapriya Bardhan, issued a notice to MLA Yadav Lal Nath asking him to explain why he barged into the booth by flouting the ECI guidelines and manhandled the BLO, said the official.

An FIR has been lodged against BJP's North Tripura district president Kajal Das and his followers for allegedly thrashing a presiding officer at the same booth during polling on April 26.

"A good number of voters were seen scattered in front of the booth under the Bagbassa Assembly segment around 5 pm. The presiding officer asked the voters to line up and collect tokens so that they could vote after 5 pm. By this time, BJP North Tripura district president Kajal Das accompanied by his followers came to the scene and allegedly forced the presiding officer out of the booth and thrashed him," said the official.

"An FIR has been lodged against the attackers including Kajal Das for assaulting a presiding officer. Accordingly, a notice was issued to the accused person by the authority of Kadamtala police station. An investigation was underway," said the officer.

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