All 60 MLAs cast votes for presidential election
Draupadi Murmu will get votes of 55 out of 60 MLAs of the state and she will win the election: N Biren
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 18 2022: The 16th presidential election in respect of Manipur was held at the committee room of Manipur Legislative Assembly Monday with all the 60 MLAs of both Ruling and Opposition casting their votes.

Manipur Legislative Assembly secretary K Meghajit was the presiding officer of the polls voting for which started from 10 am.

All the 60 MLAs, which include 32 of BJP, five of INC, five of NPF, 6 of JDU, seven of NPP, two of Kuki People's Alliance (KPA) and three Independents cast their votes.

The voting process ended at about 12.30pm though it was scheduled till 5pm. BJP MLA Karam Shyam was the first to cast vote for the 16th presidential election while party's SS Olish was the last MLA to exercise her franchise.

Chief minister N Biren Singh remained at the assembly complex till all the MLAs cast their votes.

Ruling MLAs K Robindro, L Susindro and Th Basantakumar were election agents for NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu while MPCC senior spokesperson and vice president Hareswar Goswami was the agent for Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

Manipur Legislative Assembly secretary K Meghajit and additional secretary Rohit Sapam were Returning Officers (ROs) of the election while additional secretary (tribal affairs) of Government of India R Jaya was the observer.

Chief Electoral Officer (Manipur) Rajesh Agarwal oversaw the election as a representative of government of Manipur.

All the five Congress MLAs came together to cast their votes.

Ballot boxes containing polled ballot papers and other election materials will be carried back to Returning Officer's Office, New Delhi on July 19 and counting of votes will take place on July 21 .

Incumbent President Ram Nath Kovind's tenure will end on July 24 and the new President will be sworn in on July 25 .

Ruling NDA's candidate Draupadi Murmu and Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha are contesting for the Presidential Election, 2022 .

The vote value of one MLA of Manipur is 18 .

Meanwhile, chief minister N Biren informed media persons after casting his vote that NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu will get votes of 55 out of 60 MLAs of the state and she will win the election.

Thanking the MLAs for casting their votes in the election, CM Biren said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to make Draupadi Murmu NDA's candidate for the 16th presidential election showcased the government's honour of tribal community, secularism, diversity and women empowerment.

When asked if any of MLAs who cast their votes in the presidential election tested positive for COVID-19, CM Biren replied that one MLA having fever underwent COVID-19 test but the result came out negative and the fever too was normal.

On the other-hand, CLP leader Okram Ibobi told media persons after casting his vote that India is a secular and democratic country and any MLA can cast vote for candidate of his/her choice.

Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha is a qualified leader and competent to be the President of India but results of the election will decide who will be the next President of India, he added.

Except a few MLAs, most legislators and Parliament members in the northeastern states on Monday cast their vote in the 16th Presidential election.

In Assam, 123 of the 126 MLAs, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his cabinet colleagues, Opposition leader Debabrata Saikia cast their votes for the presidential polls in the state assembly.

Congress MLA Bharat Chandra Narah has sought permission to exercise his franchise in the Parliament as he is in Delhi for medical treatment.

Two MLAs of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) are currently outside the country as they are away in Saudi Arabia to perform Haj.

AIUDF supremo and Lok Sabha Member Badruddin Ajmal had earlier announced that his party with 15 MLAs would vote in favour of opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

AIUDF MLA Karimuddin Barbhuiya claimed that at least 20 Congress MLAs have cross-voted in favour of BJP-led NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu.

In Tripura, except three MLAs -- Tribal Welfare Minister Rampada Jamatia, Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) MLA Brishaketu Debbarma, and CPI-M legislator Sudhan Das, all other 57 MLAs including Chief Minister Manik Saha and opposition leader Manik Sarkar have cast their vote in the state assembly in Agartala.

BJP's ally -- IPFT legislator Debbarma did not cast his vote on Monday as he resigned from the Assembly in June 2021, and joined the TIPRA (Tripra Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance) headed by Tripura's royal scion, Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman.

Debbarma's resignation was, however, not yet accepted by the Assembly speaker Ratan Chakraborty due to some procedural reasons.

Tribal Welfare Minister Rampada Jamatia and CPI-M MLA Sudhan Das, who are now in Delhi to attend the official and organisational meetings there, have cast their votes in the Parliament House.

In Mizoram, all the 40 MLAs of the state Assembly including Chief Minister Zoramthanga exercised their franchise to elect 15th President of India.

In Meghalaya, Members of Parliament and legislatures including Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma have cast their votes at the specially designed polling station in the annexe hall within the premises of the Assembly Secretariat at Rilbong.

Sangma, who is the President of the ruling National People's Party, later tweeted: "Along with other legislators of Meghalaya, cast my vote today for the Presidential Elections 2022 .

Wishing Smti Draupadi Murmu Ji the very best!" .

In Nagaland, 59 of the 60 sitting members of the Nagaland Assembly including Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio cast their votes.

Additional Secretary of the Nagaland Assembly and Assistant Returning Officer of the elections Khruohituonuo Rio said that Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister YM Yollow Konyak could not cast his vote due to health issues.

After casting his vote, while speaking to the media Chief Minister Rio expressed confidence that there will be no cross-voting among the legislators and that the NDA's candidate will get 100 per cent votes from the state.

In Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his cabinet colleagues and all other MLAs have cast their votes in the state assembly premises.

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