SVEEP campaign underway to increase voter turn-out: RO
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, February 17 2022: Intensive SVEEP Awareness Campaign has been taken up in Keishamthong AC, particularly in 12/12 Ram Lai Paul Higher Secondary School (Northern Wing), with an aim to increase voter turnout, said returning officer (RO) Pangambam Yaitongba adding that the Polling Station has been identified as part of the Mission 300-SVEEP Plan of the CEO, Manipur.

Under this mission, 300 Polling Stations with the lowest voter turnout in the 2017 Assembly election from across the state were identified with an aim to improve voter turnout in the ensuing 2022 election.

Recounting that Keishamthong AC recorded 85.98 percent voter turnout in the 2017 polls election, RO Yaitongba said 12/12-Ramlalpaul Higher Secondary School (N/W) recorded a voter turn-out of 79.77 in the previous polls.

Highlighting the steps being taken up under the mission to increase voter turn-out, the RO said that SVEEP Awareness campaign through BLOs, intensive House-to-House SVEEP campaign, interaction with local clubs, meira paibi groups and young voters as part of confidence building measures and SVEEP campaign through social media are underway.

He continued that Ramlalpaul Higher Secondary School (N/W) has also been set up as Model Polling Station to encourage more number of voters exercise their rights.

Sector officers also make regular visits as part of the confidence building measures to motivate voters.

Keishamthong constituency has 27,747 electors with 14,826 females and five transgender voters, Yaitongba said adding that the constituency also has one elector above the age of 100 and 622 electors above 80 years.

There are 233 PwDs and altogether 355 Absentee Voters who opted for Postal Ballot and found eligible in the constituency including 324 AV for Senior Citizens, 29 AV for PwD and 2 AV for Essential Services.

12/8 Konjeng Hazari Leikai has the highest number of electors with 1014 electors whereas 12/16-Keishamthong Hodam Leirak with just 332 electors is the Polling Station with the lowest electors.

Keishamthong AC also has two model cum Women Polling Stations.

They are 12/12-Ramlalpaul Higher Secondary School (Northern Wing) and 12/13 Southern Wing.

In all, 200 polling officials will be utilised for the 40 polling stations, said the RO.

He also mentioned that the constituency has achieved 94 percent of COVID first dose vaccination and 86 percent second dose vaccination.

The AC has five candidates namely Aribam Pramodini Devi of Indian National Congress, Elangbam Samuel Johnson of Bharatiya Janata Party, Langpoklakpam Jayanta Kumar Singh of National People's Party, Maheshwar Thounaojam of Republican Party of India and Independent candidate Nishikant Sapam.

In the 1st State Legislative Election, 1972, Independent candidate Laish-ram Manaobi defeated another Independent candidate Langpoklakpam Bheigyachandra Singh to become the Member of Legislative Assembly from Keishamthong AC.

In the next election in 1974, Manaobi, who contested the election on Manipur Peoples' Party ticket, was defeated by RK Ranbir Singh of the Indian National Congress.

Laishram Manaobi contested again on a MPP ticket in 1980 and defeated Pukhrambam Shyamkishore of the INC (U).

In 1984, INC candidate Laisom Lalit defeated RK Ranbir, who contested on Janata Party ticket.

However in the 1990 election, RK Ranbir, contesting on MPP ticket, returned the favour and defeated INC's Lalit.

RK Ranbir defeated Lalit for the second time in the 1995 Elections to retain the seat.

In 2000, Langpoklakpam Bhag-yachandra Singh of the Federal Party Manipur defeated BJP's Mayengbam Ibotombi Singh.

However, due to Bhagyachandra's sudden demise in 2000, by-poll to Keishamthong AC was held the same year and Bhagyachandra's son L Jayanta Kumar Singh of FPM defeated L Lalit Singh of the MSCP.

In 2002, FPM's L Ibomcha Singh defeated the sitting MLA Jayanta Kumar, who contested on INC ticket while in 2007, Jayanta Kumar returned as INC candidate to defeat Laisom Ibomcha, who contested as the MPP candidate.

Laisom Ibomcha contested on Nationalist Congress Party ticket in 2012 to defeat sitting MLA and INC candidate Jayanta Kumar.

Langpoklakpam Jayanta Kumar Singh, who contested the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election in 2017 as the NPP candidate, defeated INC's sitting MLA Laisom Ibomcha Singh.

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