Guv to cast vote at Old Lambulane (B) Polling Station
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, February 15 2022: Governor La Ganesan is enrolled as a voter in 11-Sagolband Assembly Constituency, said returning officer Dr Md Imran Khan, adding that the Governor will cast his vote at 11/34 Old Lambulane (B) Polling Station, which has been identified by the Chief Electoral Officer's Office for virtual tour of the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) .

He said, "It is indeed fortunate to have the Governor enrolled his name as a voter in the assembly constituency" .

For smooth implementation of Silent Dispersal System which will be used for the first time during transportation of polling personnel on the polling day in the district, Dr Imran and his team has been assigned the colour Red.

Dr Imran informed that out of 36 polling stations in the constituency, five have been included under the Mission 300 Programme of the CEO, Manipur with an aim to increase voter turnout.

The five polling stations are 11/28, 11/29, 11/30, 11/32, 11/33, with polling station 11/29 recording the lowest voting percentage of 54.88 percent in the 2017 election.

Expressing his confidence for an improved voting percentage in the constituency this time, the RO stated that preparations, including intensive SVEEP activities, have been stepped up in the assembly constituency under the supervision of Imphal West DEO Th Kirankumar.

He then appreciated the staff and officials engaged in the election process, saying that preparation for the Assembly election in his constituency has been going smooth due to the support and cooperation of the staff and officials.

The returning officer further informed that Sagolband AC covers five revenue villages and four Imphal Municipal Council wards.

Altogether 180 polling personnel including women and reserved personnel will be utilized for the 36 polling stations.

Sagolband AC has 23,920 electors of which 12,869 are female and six transgender.

11/36 Yaiskul Police Lane, with only 240 electors, is the polling station with lowest number of electors, and 11/9 Thounoujam Leikai P/S has the highest with 976 electors.

11/33-Tamphasana Girls' Higher Secondary School-Eastern Wing and 11/34 Western Wing have both been identified as women polling stations and model polling stations.

Dr Imran appealed to the electors in the constituency to come out in numbers and ensure high voting percentage in the constituency for a successful conduct of the election process.

Sagolband AC has achieved 95.5 percent of first dose COVID Vaccination and 87 percent of second dose vaccination.

Three candidates including sitting MLA RK Imo of BJP, INC candidate Moirangthem Momo and JD(U) candidate Dr Khwairakpam Loken Singh are contesting for the Sagolband seat.

Sagolband AC is the only constituency to have produced a chief minister as well as a union minister.

RK Jaichandra became the chief minister of the state after winning by-polls in 1988.He was also the first union minister from the state and served as the union minister for Youth affairs and Sports, and later on as the Chemicals and Petrochemicals minister in the cabinet of Rajiv Gandhi between 1985 and 1988 .

In the 1972 assembly election, Thokchom Bira of Communist Party of India defeated Salam Gambhir of MPP and became first the Sagolband MLA.

However, sitting MLA and CPI candidate Thokchom Bira was defeated by MPP candidate Salam Tombi in the 1974 election.

In 1980, Moirangthem Kumar Singh, contesting on MPP ticket, defeated independent candidate Salam Damodar.

In the 4th state assembly election, 1984, Damodar turned the tables and defeated MLA Kumar of MPP.

Ahead of the 1990 state assembly election, a by-poll for Sagolband AC was held in 1988, in which RK Jaichandra of INC defeated M Kumar of MPP.

RK Jaichandra repeated the feat and defeated his rival M Kumar in the 1990 state assembly election.

In the 6th assembly election in 1995, MPP candidate M Kumar defeated Janata Dal candidate Dr Khwairakpam Loken Singh.

The 2000 assembly election witnessed a reverse result, as Dr Loken Singh, contesting on Janata Dal (secular) ticket defeated M Kumar of Manipur State Congress Party.

In 2007, INC candidate Dr Loken emerged the victor over Soram Natum Singh of Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Five years ago in 2002, Natum, who contested the election on Manipur National Conference ticket, had defeated the then INC candidate Dr Loken Singh.

In the 10th state assembly election in 2012, Rajkumar Imo Singh, son of former CM RK Jaichandra, contesting on Manipur State Congress Party ticket, defeated INC's Dr Loken.

Imo Singh defended his seat in 2017 election on Indian National Congress ticket, defeating Dr Loken of Bharatiya Janata Party.

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