ADC polls : Mixed bag in turn out with CCpur recording 90 pc
Sadar Hills 75 pc, Cdl 48.3 pc; Poll violence rampant, four polling officials abducted
Source: The Sangai Express

Chandel/Sadar Hills , May 26 2010: Despite strong protest and bandh called by some organisations, the first phase of the election to the Autonomous District Councils in the hill districts went ahead today with Churachandpur, Sadar Hills and Chandel ADCs respectively recording 90, 75 and 48.3 (in 54 polling stations, reports from 6 polling stations are still awaited) percent voters' turn out.

The election to the District Councils is being held for the first time after a lapse of around 20 years.

In Chandel district headquarters, most voters were prevented from exercise their franchise.

DIFFERENT FACES : Voters throng a booth at CCpur while a booth at Chandel remains deserted

According to District Election Officer L Nabakishore, the situation in ADC Chandel was really bad and maximum security personnel were deployed in all the polling stations. Out of 60 constituencies in the Chandel District Council, 3 have been identified as normal, 45 as sensitive and 12 others as hyper sensitive.

The number of security personnel deployed in highly sensitive polling stations ranged from 23 to 24 .

Since foolproof security was arranged, there were no report of any untoward incident till 10 am today, Nabakishore added.

When a media team went around to get a first hand account of the election in and around Chandel district headquarters, it was found that in polling station 12/3 Maha Union Govt High School, only 176 voters out of the total 952 had cast their votes till 10.15 am.

In Aihang DCC, Chandel, complaints have beend lodged with the Returning Officer with regard to polling station number 10, New Chayang for a repoll on the allegations of proxy voting, with two out of the three candidates in the fray even unable to cast their votes.

Similarly at 10/5 Purum Pantha polling station, out of four candidates in the fray, one of them manipulated the voting and proxy votes were cast in the names of the three other candidates.

Four inner agents of the candidates were also found doing their duties 12/3 Maha Union Govt High School and they objected to taking photographs maintaining that they may face problem.

After 176 voters had cast their votes, no one was seen coming to exercise their franchise.

In fact, some of the voters who have already cast their votes were found staying inside the polling station as they feared to come out.

At polling station no.12/3 Hnathan LP School, only 33 voters out of the total 837 have cast their votes till 11 am.

In this polling station, inner agents of the candidates were not seen.

The officials on duty informed that the inner agent of INC candidate had come but left soon after putting signing on the paper.

In the polling station of Lambung village, the voters were found standing outside the polling station as they were apprehensive of casting their votes.

They could cast their votes only after the security arrived.

When the media team went to inspect the polling station 8/4 Komlathabi, around 10 womenfolk were seen stopping the voters who came to cast their votes.

The womenfolk also prevented the media team from visiting the said polling station.

These womenfolk were carrying out their activities just 10 metres away from the polling station but the security personnel did not do anything but remained amused spectators.

With the polling materials in respect of four polling stations namely 3/2 Phaibong, 3/4 Khanpi, 3/3-Songkong and 3/7-Songphee under 3-Henglep District Council Constituency found to have been set on fire by unidentified miscreants last night, the Returning Officer (RO) has recommended to State Election Commission for repolling.

Following the abduction of the presiding officer and three polling officials in respect of 2/3-Topka Kabui polling station under 2-Leimatak District Council Constituency in CCpur ADC by unidentified persons last night, the RO has also reported to the Election Commission for repolling.

In respect of 3/5-Naphou polling station too, where all the polling materials were found to have been set flame by miscreants in the afternoon yesterday, the RO concerned has recommended to the Election Commission for repolling.

Repolling has also been recommended in respect of polling Molkon-I and II and Yangnoi polling stations under 15-Molkon District Council Constituency in Sadar Hills where the polling materials were found to have been set on fire as well as in respect of Waithou Chiru polling station under 23-Nongmaiching District Council Constituency, where the unidentified armed persons seized and tore away the polling materials.

On accounting of proxy voting, repolling has also been recommended in respect Salam Patong polling station under 24-Bongpa Khullen District Council Constituency.

Out of the nine polling stations under 6-Kalapahar, no voters came out to cast their votes in 5 polling stations while in the remaining 4 polling stations, 42 percent polling has been recorded.

The 15/2-Tingkhai Khunou polling station of 15-Bungte Chiru recorded 99.17 percent polling.

In another poll related violence, a truck (MN01-6904) used by officials of the 4/1-Kangnoi polling station was found to have been set aflame by unidentified miscreant at Chumonphai.

The truck was stationing at Chumonphai after it developed some technical problem.

Frontal portion of the truck has been reportedly damaged in the fire.