Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported during the first phase of the Manipur elections on Monday.
According to election officials, 78.03% polling was recorded till 5 pm. The final polling percentage will be available after the return of polling parties, the officials added.
A police havildar, Naorem Ibochouba Singh from Kakching district, died in suspected accidental firing from his service rifle. He was detailed for poll duty at a polling station in the Tipaimukh constituency. Later, the body was flown to the state capital of Imphal by helicopter and kept at the morgue of a hospital.
In a statement, the Election Commission (EC) said voting at 1,721 polling stations of 38 constituencies in five districts was held peacefully barring a few incidents of violence. The miscreants damaged EVMs at seven polling stations under Saikul, Saitu, Thanlon, Henglep and Singhat seats. FIRs were registered in connection with the cases.
The security personnel had to fire blank shots to restore normalcy in areas falling under Saitu, Henglep and Singhat constituencies.
The EC said it had received complaints from some political parties and candidates during polling. However, majority of the issues were resolved and prompt actions taken.
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“The scrutiny of Form 17 A and other documents will be conducted by the Returning Officers in presence of General Observers on 1st March, 2022. Decisions on re-polls, if any, shall be decided accordingly,” the Commission said.
It was learnt the supporters of two political parties clashed in some constituencies, including in the hill district of Churachandpur where one person was injured. Incidents of violence were also reported from Imphal East, Imphal West and Kangpokpi districts.
Governor La Ganesan and Chief Minister N Biren Singh had cast their votes soon after polling started.
Singh, who contested from his pet Heingang seat, was confident the BJP would bag more than 30 seats in the first phase of elections.
Apart from the CM, the other prominent candidates were Deputy CM Yumnam Joykumar Singh (National People’s Party), Speaker Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh (both from BJP), Congress president N Loken Singh, former Congress chief Konthoujam Govindas (BJP) and former minister Nemcha Kipgen (BJP).
Altogether 12,09,439 voters, including 6,28,657 females and 175 transgenders, were eligible to cast votes. A total of 173 candidates, including 15 women, were in the fray.
In the 2017 polls, the BJP and the Congress had won 18 and 16 of these seats respectively. The National People’s Party bagged two, Lok Janshakti Party and Trinamool Congress one each.
The second and final phase polls will be held on March 5 in 22 seats.
