Assembly Election 2022: Protest staged demanding re-poll
Source: The Sangai Express

Chd/Thb, March 06 2022: Alleging malpractice including voter intimidation by workers of BJP candidate of Wangjing Tentha AC Paonam Brojen in Polling Stations number 34/9 to 34/17 during the second phase of 12th Manipur Assembly Election held on March 5, people of Wangjing organised a rally demanding repoll today.

The rally led by Moirangthem Hemanta, INC candidate of Wangjing-Tentha AC was halted at Athokpam Bazar by police.

Later, M Hemanta along with Tentha Gram Panchayat pradhan Naorem Pradip and two election agents of INC met with Deputy Commissioner Thoubal and submitted a memorandum.

Speaking to media persons, M Hemanta alleged that voters apart from BJP supporters were not allowed to exercise their right and cast their votes in polling station number 9 to 17 .

He also urged the concerned authority to provide footage of the webcast before counting the votes.

Similarly, Kh Menjor Mangang, BJP candidate of Khangabok AC has alleged that workers of JDU carried out proxy voting in polling number 35/5 Trio Club, Khangabok Mayai Leikai.

Addressing a press conference held at BJP Khangabok Mandal office, Menjor Mangang appealed to the CEO Manipur and Election Commission of India to look into the matter and initiate a repoll in the said polling station.

He also alleged that election agents of BJP were not even allowed in the polling station by workers of JDU.

In this regard, Th Dilip Kumar, election agent of the BJP candidate has submitted a written complaint to the Returning Officer of Khangabok AC.

A similar protest was also staged at Chandel Christian public ground demanding a repoll in polling station number 52 of 41-Chandel AC.

Claiming various malpractices including proxy voting and intimidation by underground groups in support of BJP, the protesters informed that they were not allowed to exercise their democratic right and cast their votes freely in the said polling station.

They also appealed to the District Election Officer and CEO to conduct a repoll with adequate security and give them the opportunity to cast their votes in a free and fair manner.

The protesters further caution that they would resort to various forms of democratic agitation if their demands are not fulfilled by the concerned authority.

Placards with the slogans, "we condemn rampant proxy voting in most of the polling stations under 41 AC", "Cancel counting of votes in these polling stations", "we condemned attack on polling agents with lathis", etc were extensively used.

Meanwhile, in a press conference held at NPF Chandel Area Unit office, Wanlum Holirest, women president of the unit has expressed her disappointment over the alleged voter intimidation and mass proxy voting by BJP and underground groups.

The women president also claimed that advisors of various candidates were prohibited to enter certain areas in Chandel AC and urged the ECI to conduct a repoll or cancel the votes in such areas.

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