The stage is set for the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections, with 68 candidates — 40 men and 28 women — confirmed in the fray after no one withdrew their nomination on the final withdrawal deadline on Monday.
Polling will be held on April 21, and votes will be counted on April 27.
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Four political parties are fielding candidates for the 19-member civic body.
The ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), the main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), and the Indian National Congress have each fielded a full slate of 19 candidates. The Bharatiya Janata Party has nominated 11 candidates.
More than 2.37 lakh voters across 19 wards are registered to vote in the upcoming election. Of these, approximately 1.28 lakh are women voters.
The previous Aizawl Municipal Corporation elections were held in February 2021. The Mizo National Front won a majority with 11 seats, while the Zoram People's Movement secured six and the Congress took two.
Although the corporation's term ended on March 1 this year, the State Election Commission delayed the election process due to the state Assembly's budget session — which concluded on March 16 — and ongoing state board examinations.
The Model Code of Conduct came into force on March 18 and will remain in effect until April 30, covering the full duration of the election process.
Under the code, no recruitment, appointments, written tests, interviews, or selection procedures may be initiated in government departments, public sector undertakings, or corporations within the Aizawl Municipality without prior approval from the State Election Commission. Exceptions apply only to processes handled by the State Public Service Commission.
Transfers or postings of officials within the municipality are also prohibited during this period. Any transfer orders issued before the election announcement but not yet acted upon cannot be implemented without explicit written permission from the Commission.