Amid pandemic, Mizoram holds local body polls

Mizoram has over 4.54 lakh eligible voters in 558 village councils in 9 districts and over 2.18 lakh voters in 83 local councils under Aizawl Municipal Corporation.

Updated on: Aug 28, 2020, 05:20:17 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Even as coronavirus disease (Covid-19) continues to sweep the country, Mizoram on Thursday, held elections to 550 village councils and 59 urban local councils .

Polling in 8 village councils and 24 local councils have been deferred due to spread of Covid-19 in those areas. (HT Archive)

“I participated in Mizoram general election to village councils and local councils, 2020. Thanking all the election officials and every part-taker for providing safe platform to many voters in exercising our constitutional franchise amidst this pandemic,” Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga tweeted after casting his vote. The state election commission held the polls while maintaining social distancing, hygiene and all safety norms. Counting of votes is underway at present.

“Polling went off without a glitch and it was very peaceful. We maintained all measures related to social distancing, thermal screening, wearing of masks and availability of hand sanitisers at all polling stations,” said Mizoram state election commissioner Laima Chozah told HT.

Mizoram has over 4.54 lakh eligible voters in 558 village councils in 9 districts and over 2.18 lakh voters in 83 local councils under Aizawl Municipal Corporation. Polling in 8 village councils and 24 local councils have been deferred due to spread of Covid-19 in those areas. The contest is expected to be a triangular one among ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and opposition Congress and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM). MNF has already won 12 village councils unopposed while Congress has won 3. “We expect to get the final results by Friday and we should be able to issue gazette notification,” Chozah said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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