Election Commission announces fresh polls in 11 polling stations in Manipur

IMPHAL: The Election Commission declared the Lok Sabha elections held at 11 voting stations in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency as void on Saturday. It will hold re-polling in these stations on Monday.

Manipur's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Pradeep Kumar Jha, said on Saturday night that fresh polling will be held in these 11 voting stations under the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat.

"All voters of these 11 voting stations are appealed to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday," the CEO told IANS.

The opposition Congress has demanded a re-poll in at least 47 voting stations in Manipur, alleging that a large number of these polling booths were captured and vandalized on Friday.

Manipur Congress President K. Meghachandra Singh said the party has lodged a complaint with the Manipur CEO demanding re-poll in 36 voting stations in the Inner Manipur seat and 11 voting stations in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency.

The CEO also said that 92-95 percent of the displaced citizens presently staying in the relief camps casted their votes on Friday. "We are very happy with the high turnout among the displaced persons who communicated that they wanted to be part of the democratic exercise," Jha said.

The Election Commission had set up 85 special voting stations for the ethnic violence-hit displaced voters in seven districts of the state - Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur, and Kangpokpi. Amid sporadic incidents of violence, 72.17 percent of the 15.44 lakh voters, including 8.02 lakh women, exercised their franchise in Manipur's two Lok Sabha seats.

Polling was held in the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat and 15 of the 28 Assembly segments of the Outer Manipur (ST) parliamentary constituency on April 19. Voting will be held in the remaining 13 Assembly segments under the Outer Manipur seat in the second phase on April 26. (IANS)

 Also Read: Manipur CM N. Biren Singh urges his state people to cast vote for BJP (sentinelassam.com)

Also Watch: