92% voter turnout in Senapati
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Senapati, June 03 2015 : Braving scorching summer heat and pressure from armed groups, people came out in large number to cast their valuable votes on June 1 in all the 146 polling stations in Senapati District to decide the fate of 53 candidates for 19 ADC seats.

Recording a voter turnout of 92% till 4:30pm, the day was also filled with stray incidents and reports of gunshots in some polling stations.

According to police sources, In Lakhamai Village, some youths from Phaibung villages also reportedly gave a hot chase and physically assaulted an armed cadre after a village secretary was abducted.

He was later released.

The Deputy Commissioner Jacintha Lazarus who is also the District Election Officer (DEO) accompanied by SP K Kabib and SDCs inspected many polling booths within the Senapati District Headquarters.

No untoward incidents were reported on the day of the voting.

Unconfirmed reports said polling stations in Liyai Khullen, Lakhamai, Sirong, Lairouching, Makuilongdi were likely to go for repoll after incidents of ballot box destructions and snatching of polling materials by unidentified persons.

According to reliable sources, gunshots were reported near Song Song (Mao-Gate) polling station during the early hours of polling but the identities of those who fired could not be ascertained till late evening on June 1 .

At Chowainamai Khullen and Chowainamai Khunou polling stations, blank shots were fired by the police after an unidentified person tried to flee with ballot box.

The accused who managed to slip off after being chased by police personnel later threw off the box into the bushes which was retrieved by the polling officials and casting of vote resumed.

However, towards evening similar incidents of gun shots incident were also reported near Chowainamai Khullen after a failed attempt to disrupt the voting procedure by some miscreants belonging to a political party.

At Lairouching, unidentified persons in large number barged into the polling booth and destroyed a ballot box and escaped with two other ballot boxes.

Meanwhile, respective SDOs/ROs of three sub-divisions of Mao-Maram, Purul and Paomata have also received complaints and request for re-polling in many places.

According to complaint letter of NPF candidates from Maram Khullen and Lairouching DCC, it has been alleged that supporters of rival parties restricted NPF voters to even cast their votes.

One of the candidates was man-handled at a polling booth while it has also been alleged that BJP supporters captured the booth and chased away polling agents.

Comment