Re-poll in 63 polling booths held amidst tight security
4 polling stations of Tamei AC to go for re-poll today
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 04 2012: Seventy percent polling was recorded in the re-poll conducted in 63 polling stations spreading across nine Assembly Constituencies of the hill districts in Manipur, which was conducted amidst tight security today.

With exception to stray incident of gun-shots near a polling station Saikul area, there is no report of any violence during the re-poll today.

This was the second re-poll ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in connection with the 10th Manipur State Legislative Assembly Election following detection of various poll irregularities.

The second re-poll was ordered in 67 polling stations.

But the re-poll could not be conducted in four polling stations under Tamei Assembly Constituency of Tamenglong district as the polling personnel could not reach their destinations in time as they were obstructed by rain and landslides.

Third round of re-poll would be held in the said four polling stations tomorrow.

The polling stations are 52/1-Makuilong, 52/2-Lemta, 52/5-Kadi and 52/7-Dunong.The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has issued a notification in this regard.

There is no report of any violence incident with exception gun-shots heard near the polling station 86/15-Ekou Mulam under Saikul A/C, where there was brief panic among the voters coming to exercise their franchise.

After the situation was normalized by the security personnel, voting continued without any interruption.

According to information received from the State Election Office, in UKhrul district where re-poll was conducted in polling station 45/8-Karasom under 45-Chingai Assembly Constitution, voters turnout was recorded as 73.88percent whereas in Churachandpur district where re-poll was ordered in polling station 60/31-Lungthul L under 60-Singhat A/C, the voters turnout was only 40 percent.

In Chandel district, where 25 polling stations under 41-Chandel A/C and one polling station under 42-Tengoupal A/C went to re-poll, the overall polling has been recorded as 83.4 percent.

In Senapati district where re-poll was conducted 13 polling stations under 47-Karong A/C, 10 polling stations under 49-Tadubi A/C, 6 polling stations under 48-Mao A/C and two polling stations under 46-Saikul A/C, the overall polling percentage recorded has been put at 61 whereas in Tamenglong where re-poll was held in four polling stations out of eight polling stations ordered under 52-Tamei A/C, the voters turnout has been recorded at 65 percent.

Meanwhile, reports reaching Hueiyen Lanpao said that some of the polling personnel deployed in the hill districts of the state have reached their respective district head quarters along with the EVMs which have been subsequently kept in the strong room for safety.

Other polling personnel who are engaged for duty in polling stations located far from the district head quarters would be airlifted by choppers tomorrow morning.

Talking to mediapersons, N Prabin, Joint Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has maintained that the re-poll in 63 polling stations of the five hill districts of the state was peaceful.

The polling personnel of the four polling stations in Tamei A/C could not reach their respective destinations owing to landslide along the way.

So, re-poll in these four polling stations would be conducted tomorrow.

For this, the polling personnel and all other election related materials would be air lifted by chopper tomorrow morning, the Joint CEO informed .

Since the counting of votes would start from March 6, the EVMs would have to reach the strong room by March 5, the officer pointed out, adding that all necessary arrangements have been made for the said purpose.

He further informed that EVMs of some polling stations in the interiors of Chandel and Tamenglong districts which would not be brought to the respective district headquarters today would be air-lifted tomorrow.

On the other hand, a team of media persons went to Chandel district to collect first hand report of the re-poll conducted today.

The trip was arranged by Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Government of Manipur.

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