IT News
Imphal, March 5:
Finale phase election of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly was held today with the completion of the 2nd phase polling today amidst violence at some polling station, with report of a voter killed and injuring another at Karong Assembly constituency in Senapati district. Re-poll in 12 polling stations in five assembly constituencies has also been completed with high voters turnout. The average Poll percentage recorded at 3 pm was 67.77%.
Altogether, 92 candidates including 2 women candidates are in the fray in today’s election. The number of candidates in the first phase election was 173. With the completion of the 2nd and the final phase election fate of the 265 candidates are sealed in EVMs. Even if the ECI announced the re-poll of the 2nd phase poll, the counting of votes will be conducted on the 10th of March. The election process will be completed on March 12.
A total of 8,47,400 voters including 4,28,968 females and 4,18,432 males had exercised their franchise in the 2nd phase election held today in 22 Assembly constituencies while in the first phase 12,09,439 electors had exercised their franchise in the 1st phase poll held in 38 assembly constituencies.
At most of the polling stations, polling was peaceful with some unwanted incidents among workers of candidates over proxy voting. At a polling station at Karong assembly constituency, 1 person was killed while another was injured in police action after the two tried to snatch the EVM at 47/49 polling station at Ngamju Village in Senapati district. The deceased has been identified as K. Longva of the same village and the injured person has been identified as Saope. He is reported to be undergoing treatment at a RIMS hospital in Imphal. Earlier today morning a 25 years old person, identified as one Leimapokpam Amuba Singh, son of L. Binoy of Wangjing Hodamba Maning Leikai in Wangjing Tentha Assembly constituency succumbed to bullet injury today morning after miscreants shot him yesterday evening.
At Tengnoupal assembly constituency, stray incidents of poll violence were reported at the polling station of Khudei Khunou, while polling in Chandel AC underwent smoothly without report of any violence. “A minor scuffle took place at 42/29 polling station in Tengnoupal AC at around 9 am, but the matter was settled peacefully and the election process was restored,” the DEO said.
Meanwhile in Nungba AC under Noney district, barely a few hours before the polling began on Saturday a voter alleged that some UG cadres came to Congress Camp around 3 am Saturday at Bwanruangh Taudaizaeng village and threatened that only 100 votes can be cast for Congress candidate. Bwanruangh Taudaizaeng village is located nearly 19 km away from Nungba HQ.
The voting in 40- Jiribam Assembly constituency was reported peaceful.
The voting has started from 7 am in the 40 numbers polling stations in Jiribam A.C. with all the arrangements for the conduct of free, fair, and safe manner of election by the commission.
As per the report, among the 40 numbers of polling stations, polling stations No. 40/3, 40/4, 40/5 40/12, and 40/13 were fully assigned to women polling officials.
In the early hours of voting, hundreds of voters were seen standing in the long queue in most of the polling stations.
The total number of voters in the Jiribam Assembly constituency is 29298, out of which 14994 are male and 14304 are female.
Till the time of filing the report, around 32.69 % of voters turned out to cast their vote till 11:00 am.
The 4 candidates whose fate will be sealed in the EVM today are N. Budhachandra Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP); Badrur Rahman, Indian National Congress; MK. Abbas Khan, NPP and Md. Achab Uddin, Janata Dal (United).
In the 2nd phase election held today BJP candidate SS Olish and NPF candidate, Langhu Paulring Anal are having a straight fight. At the Nungba assembly constituency too former deputy chief minister and INC candidate Gaikhangam and BJP candidate Dinganglung Gangmei are having a straight fight.
At Mao Assembly constituency in Senapati districts, vehicles of NPF workers were reportedly destroyed by supporters of Independent candidate Woba Zoram.
At a polling station at Wabaching in Tengnoupal Assembly constituency, voting was reportedly completed at around 11 am. Report said that armed persons kidnapped and threaten the villagers to support a specific candidate belonging to a political party.
At Wangjing tentha Assembly constituency, tension was high as BJP alleged force vote without allowing their supporter to even seat as agents at some polling station and the same allegation from the side of the INC candidate.
Interestingly voting was reported peaceful in Heirok Assembly constituency where pre-poll violence was reported.
At Wabagai Assembly constituency there were scuffled between workers of the NPP and the BJP.
BJP fielded candidates for all the 60 assembly seats while Congress fielded 48 candidates, National People’s Party has 43, Naga People’s Front has 10 and Janata Dal(U) has 30 each.
In the first phase, a total of 173 candidates are in the fray, including 15 women. Among the key candidates are the chief minister and BJP candidate from Heingang N Biren Singh, his cabinet colleague Thongam Biswajit Singh, speaker Y Khemchand Singh from Singjamei, deputy CM and NPP candidate Yumnam Joykumar from Uripok, and Manipur Congress president N Lokesh Singh from Nambol.
The 2nd phase of polling will decide the fate of former Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, his son O Surjakumar, former Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, forest minister Awangbow Newmai, Water supply minister Losii Dikho, former education minister Th Radheshyam, who was seeking re-election from Thoubal, Khangabok, Nungba, Tamei, Mao and Heirok assembly constituencies