Dharma Nagar by-election by and large peaceful till now, 52% polling till 1-00 PM

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, April 9, 2026

The ongoing by-election to the Dharma Nagar assembly constituency (No-56) today has remained by and large peaceful so far with voters pressing electronic voting machines (EVM) briskly in all 55 polling stations. Official sources conducting the by-election, necessitated by the death of former speaker Bishwabandhu Sen in December last year, said that polling had commenced smoothly at 7-00 in the morning with long queues of traditionally attired voters waiting in front of polling stations. Till 1-00 PM in the afternoon 52% voters had cast their votes by pressing EVMs in the 55 polling stations and sources said that in case the present rate of voting persists the final percentage may reach beyond 80%.

No major untoward incident has so far been reported but a minor tension broke out when a number of undesirable elements owing allegiance to BJP had created obstacles in the way of journalists gathering news of polling . But when the journalists protested their interference the miscreants took to heels. In yet another incident a minor troble was created by miscreants aligned with the ruling party when the Congress party candidate Chayan Bhattacharjee was speaking to media persons outside the polling booth No-24 in the office of the deputy director of agriculture department in Chandrapur area. A number of pro-BJP elements had encroached on the space within a hundred metre of the polling station in violation of rules and tried to create obstacle in the interview of Chayan Bhattacharjee but following united protests from journalists they beat a hasty retreat. The tension created by this however diminished soon.

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