Violence mars first section Manipur polls, havildar dies in ‘accidental firing’

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Sporadic incidents of violence had been reported through the first section of the Manipur elections on Monday.

According to election officers, 78.03% polling was recorded until 5 pm. The remaining polling proportion might be obtainable after the return of polling events, the officers added.

A police havildar, Naorem Ibochouba Singh from Kakching district, died in suspected unintended firing from his service rifle. He was detailed for ballot obligation at a polling station within the Tipaimukh constituency. Later, the physique was flown to the state capital of Imphal by helicopter and stored on the morgue of a hospital.

In an announcement, the Election Commission (EC) stated voting at 1,721 polling stations of 38 constituencies in 5 districts was held peacefully barring a number of incidents of violence. The miscreants broken EVMs at seven polling stations underneath Saikul, Saitu, Thanlon, Henglep and Singhat seats. FIRs had been registered in reference to the circumstances.

The safety personnel needed to hearth clean photographs to revive normalcy in areas falling underneath Saitu, Henglep and Singhat constituencies.

The EC stated it had obtained complaints from some political events and candidates throughout polling. However, majority of the problems had been resolved and immediate 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 stated.

It was learnt the supporters of two political events clashed in some constituencies, together with within the hill district of Churachandpur the place one particular person was injured. Incidents of violence had been additionally reported from Imphal East, Imphal West and Kangpokpi districts.

Governor La Ganesan and Chief Minister N Biren Singh had forged their votes quickly after polling began.

Singh, who contested from his pet Heingang seat, was assured the BJP would bag greater than 30 seats within the first section of elections.

Apart from the CM, the opposite outstanding candidates had been Deputy CM Yumnam Joykumar Singh (National People’s Party), Speaker Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh (each from BJP), Congress president N Loken Singh, former Congress chief Konthoujam Govindas (BJP) and former minister Nemcha Kipgen (BJP).

Altogether 12,09,439 voters, together with 6,28,657 females and 175 transgenders, had been eligible to forged votes. A complete of 173 candidates, together with 15 ladies, had been within the fray.

In the 2017 polls, the BJP and the Congress had received 18 and 16 of those seats respectively. The National People’s Party bagged two, Lok Janshakti Party and Trinamool Congress one every.

The second and remaining section polls might be held on March 5 in 22 seats.