Chandel district bandh cripples normal life
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 18: The 48-hour Chandel district bandh called by various social organisations including Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) since last midnight demanding rectification of abnormal increase in the number of voters in 41-Chandel and 42-Tengnoupal Assembly Constituencies of the district completed the first day without any untoward incident though the bandh put a grinding halt to normal day-to-day activities of the people.

Although the bandh has been concluded, the issue is likely to be snow-balled as the authorities concerned have not given any definite response to the demand raised.

Chandel district youths enforcing the 48 hours bandh

On account of the 48-hour Chandel district bandh called jointly by Kuki Students' Organisation, Kuki Chiefs' Association, Chandel district and Kuki Movement for Human Rights with effect since last night, all the important market places of the district like Pallel Bazar, Chandel Bazar, Moreh Bazar and Tengnoupal Bazar remained closed with all the shops downing their shutters.

The attendance in the Government offices also remained thin even as students preferred to stay away from attending classes.

Vehicles including inter-district transportations also stayed away from the road during the bandh.

To ensure success of the bandh, alleged bandh supporters came out at various placed and blocked the road with burning of old tyres and piling woods in the middle of the roads to dissuade anyone from venturing out.

However, there is no report of any untoward incident during the bandh.

Talking to mediapersons at Pallel Bazar this afternoon, general secretary of KSO Chandel district Thangjamang Haokip reiterated that vast difference in the number of voters in respect of 41-Chandel Assembly Constituency and 42-Tengnoupal Assembly Constituency has been detected in the electoral draft and the final publication, brought out in 2005 for the year 2005.In 41-Chandel A/C, the names of villages which do exist at all have been found included in the electoral roll thereby increasing the number of voters by 1818.Out of the 33 villages mentioned in the electoral, Shallu is the only inhabited village, he added.

He further informed that abnormal increase in the number of voters by inserting fictitious names have also been detected in the electoral roll of 42-Tengnoupal A/C in Machi sub-division.

The total number of voters increased in the said Assembly Constituency is 4419, he expressed surprise.

Despite having brought the matter to the notice of the authorities concerned, nothing had been done to rectify the mistake, thereby the people of Chandel district have started wondering whether they do no have rights like any other Indian citizens, he rued.

Apart from continuing with various intense agitation, the student leader also make clear that the forthcoming election to the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly would be boycotted if the authorities concerned fail to take up necessary remedial measures to rectify abnormal increase of voters in the two Assembly Constituencies of the district.