Healthy turn out of over 80 percent marks Panchayat election
Thoubal leads polling with 90 pc
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 13 2012: Brisk and healthy turn out marked the fourth General Panchayat election to elect 160 Pradhans, 60 Zilla Parishad members and 1514 members in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur today.

Voting was held amid the bandh call given by numerous hill based organisations to protest the alleged inclusion of some areas in the hills in the Panchayat election.

Thoubal district led the way in voters' turn out, with 90 percent turning out while Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur districts recorded a similar score of 85 percent each.

A total of 6,51,817 voters are enlisted for the Panchayat election.

The counting of votes will be held on September 17 while repoll, if any, will be held on September 17 .

Three hurt in panchayat poll-related assaults : In an alleged armed assault by a candidate's brother, three persons have been admitted to RIMS and JNIMS Hospital with head injuries.

Top : Voters line up outside a booth and below a deserted road in Imphal

Two of the victims undergoing treatment at RIMS have been identified as Thiyam Nabakumar (48) s/o (L) Th Jhulon of Chanam Sandrok Mayai Leikai and Takhellambam Kameshwor (58) s/o T Ibotombi of Chanam Sandrok Awang Leikai.

The third namely Yengkhom Santa (25) has been admitted to JNIMS.

Speaking to newspersons after receiving treatment at the hospital, Nabakumar and Kameshwor identified the assailant as Heiram Dhamendra (35) s/o H Ahanjao.

Dhamendra's elder brother identified as H Suresh (40) is informed to be a candidate for the gram panchayat election.

While two of the victims were inside 12/9 polling station as election agents of their respective candidates under chanam Sandrok Awang Leikai Ward No 4, Santa was seated at the polling station for Ward No 5 in the same complex.

It is said that Dhamendra barged into the polling station and raised objection against Nabakumar and Kameshwor overseeing the polling process as the election agents.

Dhamendra allegedly fired a round and then hit both with the butt of a small arm before heading towards Ward No 5 polling station and carried out similar attack against Santa.

No voter turnout : Aimol and Unapan polling stations of Pallel Gram Panchayat, Thoubal district recorded zero poll percentage as not a single voter came out for polling.

Even though all preparations were made for polling, the voters did not come out on the ground that they are under Chandel Autonomous District Council.

Likewise, no voters turned out at Kekrupokpi and Haipijang polling stations of Serou Gram Panchayat and all the ballot papers issued to these polling stations returned unused.

On the other hand, some persons captured the ballot box of Wangjing Khunou polling under Kakching Gram Panchayat at about 11 am when poll percentage had reached around 50 per cent.

The miscreants left the ballot box at a place some distance away.

Though there were some reports of dispute and tiffs between supporters of rival candidates in Tulihal Zilla Parishad, Imphal East district, police arrived in time and ensured that the polling was done without any interruption.

Our Jiribam correspondent reports that the Panchayat election in Jiribam sub-division went off peacefully without disturbances.