EC orders fresh polling in Manipur’s 11 polling stations on Monday

way2barak, April 20 : The Election Commission on Saturday voided the polling held in 11 polling stations in Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency on Friday and appointed April 22 (Monday) for taking fresh polls in these 11 polling stations, top election official said.

Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pradeep Kumar Jha said on Saturday night that fresh polling would be held in 11 polling stations in five assembly segments under Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat.

“All voters of these 11 polling stations appealed to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise from 7 a.m. in the morning to 5 p.m. in the afternoon on Monday,” the CEO told IANS.

The opposition Congress has demanded repoll in at least 47 polling stations in Manipur alleging that a large number of polling booths were captured, vandalized, damaged to the Electronic Voting Machines and threatened to the voters in Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur parliamentary constituencies on Friday.

Manipur state Congress President K Meghachandra Singh said the party has lodged a complaint with Manipur CEO demanding repoll in 36 polling stations in Inner Manipur seat and 11 in Outer Manipur constituency.

The CEO said that 92 to 95 per cent displaced persons staying in the relief camps on Friday cast their votes.

“We are very happy of the high turnout among the displaced persons and these displaced persons communicated that they wanted to be part of the democratic exercise and their aspirations were expressed through the voting,” Jha said.

The Election Commission had set up 85 special polling stations for the ethnic violence-affected displaced voters in seven districts — Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts.

Out of 18,091 Internally Displaced Voters, 92 to 95 per cent electorates, staying in the relief camps in seven districts, exercised their franchise in their respective Special Polling Stations.

Amidst sporadic incidents of violence, firing, vandalization, booth capturing, 72.17 per cent of the 15.44 lakh voters, including 8.02 lakh women in Manipur’s two Lok Sabha seats exercised their franchise on Friday.

Given the nearly year-long ethnic violence, unprecedented security arrangements, comprising central forces, state police and Manipur Police commandos, were made in the state to foil any incidents of violence.

Polling on Friday was held in the entire Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat and 15 of the 28 Assembly segments of the Outer Manipur (ST) parliamentary constituency.

Voting will be held in the remaining 13 Assembly segments of Outer Manipur (ST) seat in the second phase on April 26.

The main contest was held between the BJP-Naga People’s Front (NPF) alliance and the Congress-led INDIA bloc.

The ruling BJP had fielded Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh against Congress nominee Angomcha Bimol Akoijam in the Inner Manipur seat, and extended support to ally NPF’s nominee Kachui Timothy Zimik, who is contesting against Congress’ Alfred Kanngam S. Arthur in the Outer Manipur (ST) seat.