By-poll being underway at Thongju and Thangmeiband Assembly constituencies is reported to be peaceful except for some minor incident of argument at some of the polling station. Report said that at around 1 pm today morning around 67% voters cast their franchise at Thangmeiband Assembly constituency. At Thongju Assembly constituency to total turn out around 55% at 1 pm.
All together 5 candidates are in the fray in the two assembly constituencies. G. Tonsana Sharma, an Independent candidate under the banner, Manipur Democratic Peoples’ Front (MDPF) is contesting in both the Assembly constituencies.
BJP candidate Khumukcham Joykishan and Congress candidate Jotin Waikhom are the keen contestants at Thangmeiband assembly constituency.
On the other hand Congress candidate Bijoy Koijam and BJP candidate Thongam Bishwajit are expecting to fight the election neck to neck. At Thangmeiband Assembly constituency, a total of 26,335 voters will exercise their franchise at 41 polling Booth to elect their representative. Among this, 12,588 are male voters and 13,746 are female voters.
At Thongju Assembly Constituency a total of 28,442 voters are going to exercise their franchise at 45 polling stations. Among the voters 13,739 are male while the remaining 14,703 are female voters.
All the polling booth in both the assembly election is declared as hypersensitive.
The by-election is being held after former MLA Joykishan of Thangmeiband assembly constituency and The Bishwajit of Thongju Assembly constituency were disqualified under the tenth schedule of the Peoples’ Representative Act.
While both Joykishan and Bishawajit prefer to fight fresh election, another MLA who was disqualified along with them took the matter to law court challenging the Speaker’s verdict and regains his status as MLA.