Stage set for local body polls, 171 elected unopposed
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 10 2016:
With the State Election Commission already taking up all necessary measures in order to hold the election to 18 Municipal Councils and eight Nagar Panchayats peacefully, all the officials who have been assigned poll duties have reached their respective stations.
State Election Commission Secretary Mutum Radharani told The Sangai Express
that all polling officials and security personnel have reached their polling stations.
Notably, only women officials would be officiating the polling process at two polling stations under SDO/RO Nambol.
Women police officers would be deployed at the two polling stations.
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The Election Commission has already appointed election observers for the four valley districts and Jiribam.
Moreover, respective DEOs and SPs have taken up stringent security measures so as to avert any untoward incident during the polling hours, Radharani said.
While appealing to all the people to cooperate with polling officials and security personnel so that the polling can be held peacefully and smoothly, she asked all the voters to go to polling booths with one valid identity card.
Polling will begin at 8 am tomorrow and continue till 4 pm.
Votes would be counted on January 15. No candidate is contesting in Ward No 12 of Samurou Gram Panchayat for the Councillor as well as Ward Member's seats.
As such, polling would not be held in the particular ward.
Altogether 658 Councillor candidates and 1042 Ward Member candidates are contesting in the election.
So far 9 Councillor candidates and 162 Ward Member candidates have been elected unopposed.
Among the elected candidates are five Congress candidates, one LJP candidate and three independent candidates.
Congress party has been fielding maximum candidates at 199 with BJP following closely behind with 181 candidates.
Apart from 280 independent candidates, 16 CPI candidates and nine LJP candidates are also in the fray.
The Municipal Councils (MC) and Nagar Panchayats (NP) which go to polls tomorrow are Samurou NP, Mayang Imphal MC, Lilong NP (Imphal West), Wangoi MC, Thongkhong Laxmi Bazar NP, Sekmai NP, Lamshang NP, Thoubal MC, Yairipok MC, Sikhong Sekmai MC, Heirok NP, Wangjing Lamding MC, Lilong MC (Thoubal), Kakching MC, Kakching Khunou MC, Sugnu MC, Nambol MC, Bishnupur MC, Ningthoukhong MC, Moirang MC, Kwakta MC and Kumbi MC.
Meanwhile our correspondent reports that 20 polling stations have been set up across the 10 Wards of Jiribam Municipal Council for election tomorrow.
All the designated officials have reportedly arrived at their assigned polling station today.
Altogether, 27 candidates for Municipal Council and 39 candidates for Ward Development Committee will contest in the election.
4910 voters are expected to exercise their right to adult franchise.