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Repolling ordered in 7 Manipur booths
According to the release, the booths where re-election would be held are spread across Thoubal, Senapati and Ukhrul districts. Voting would be open from 7am to 4pm on Tuesday
IMPHAL: Repolling will be held in seven booths for five assembly seats in Manipur on Tuesday, state election officials said on Monday.
“One of the main reasons for consideration of re-polling was connected to damage of EVMs by miscreants during and after the poll,” said Manipur chief electoral officer Rajesh Agrawal in a press release on Monday afternoon.
According to the release, the booths where re-election would be held are spread across Thoubal, Senapati and Ukhrul districts. Voting would be open from from 7AM to 4PM on Tuesday, officials said. The booths are: Wangjing Hodamba booth in Wangjing Tentha constituency,Ukhrul (E-2) in Ukhrul, Ngamju in Karong, Kalhang and Peh(B) in Chingai and Yangkhullen (A) and Mao Marafil in Tadubi
“These kinds of incidents (EVM damage) lead to major discomfort for electors of the polling station as their right to franchise gets infringed on poll day and they will now need to come out again to exercise their rightful franchise on the day of repoll,” said Agrawal.
On Sunday, Congress candidates in Wangkhem,Wangjing-Tentha and Tengnoupal constituencies had demanded re-polling at their respective assembly constituencies.
Alleging massive malpractices during polling day on March 5, Congress candidate for Wangjing-Tentha seat, M Hemanta Singh, and his supporters submitted a memorandum to the office of the district election officer in Thoubal, demanding a repoll at nine polling booths (34/9 to 34/17).
Hemanta, a former minister, also urged the election authority not to announce election results unless footage of the webcasting facilities at these booths was checked.
Similarly the Congress candidate for Tengnoupal seat, Morung Makung, also demanded repolling for the Tengnoupal seat. Supporters of the Naga People’s Front candidate from Chandel seat also demanded repolling.
Sitting MLA and congress candidate K Meghachandra Singh of Wangkhem seat also submitted a written complaint to the Agrawal on Sunday demanding re-polling at four polling booths (32/7 to 32/10).
Earlier, BJP had urged Agrawal for a re-poll in Wangjing Tentha seat alleging that there was extensive proxy voting in some polling booths. A joint complaint was also lodged in this regard.
The first phase of the Manipur assembly elections was held on February 28 covering 38 constituencies while the second phase was held on March 5 for the remaining 22 assembly seats.
The counting of votes will take place on March 10, along with four other states - Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Uttar Pradesh, where Assembly polls were held.
In 2017, BJP came second by winning 21 seats, but was able to upset the Congress, which won 28 seats, and form a government with support of National People’s Party, Naga People’s Front and others.
