AMN /
Polling for the first phase of the Manipur assembly ended peacefully Saturday evening. Heavy to very heavy polling was reported. According to reports, over 84 per cent of the total votes of the 38 Assembly Constituencies of the state assembly has been cast Saturday.
The turnout however is tentative and the figure will increase as the result for 28 percent of the polling stations, which are situated in remote areas without com
munication, are still awaited.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manipur, Vivek Kumar Dewangan, addressing a press conference said the final figure for the first phase is expected to be completed by tomorrow evening as the election office is planning to air lifted about 70 polling personnel from Vangai range, Henglep and Tipaimuk by noon.
Responding to queries on possibilities of re-poll, the CEO informed that so far there are no reports of any re-poll but complaints have been received from certain polling stations in Churachandpur, Saikul.
The scrutiny of the complaint will be conducted tomorrow in presence of the general observers, Returning Officer concerned and later passed on to Election Commission of India (ECI) who will take the decision whether to conduct re-poll.
The voting started since 7 am and ended peacefully at 3 pm except for some stray incidents like attempt for proxy voting, confrontation between supporters of different political parties etc.
In certain areas the voting process had to be delayed for about an hour as some Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) encountered technical error.
In Imphal East the total voter turnout was recorded 87 percent, 86.9 percent in Imphal West, 87.8 percent in Bishnupur district, 80 percent in Kangpokpi districts, 68 percent in Churachandpur district and 68 percent in newly created Pherzawl district.
State Chief Electoral Officer Vivek Kumar Dewangan said, around 80 percent voter turnout was recorded in the last two general elections. He also said, the poll percentage is likely to increase this time than the earlier figures. He further said, the final figure of the voter turnout in today’s poll will be announced in a press conference to be held at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Imphal at six this evening.