India: Election Commission announces repolling at 11 Manipur polling stations

The Election Commission on Saturday (Apr 20) announced new polling dates for 11 polling stations in the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency.

Manipur's chief electoral officer said that the voting would be held again on Monday (Apr 22).

The development comes after the Election Commission issued a directive declaring the voting held at these polling stations as null and void.

The official said that the polling stations that were affected by the violence during the first phase of elections are, Moirangkampu Sajeb and Thongam Leikai in the Khurai constituency, four in Kshetrigao and one in Thongju in Imphal East district and three in Uripok and one in Konthoujam in Imphal West district.

On Friday (Apr 19), incidents of violence were reported at some of the polling booths in conflict-torn Manipur where some miscreants opened fire and even destroyed EVMs.

Earlier today. the Congress demanded repoll in 47 polling stations claiming that the polling booths were seized and the elections were rigged.

Manipur Congress president K Meghachandra stated that the party had issued a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer calling for a repoll in 36 polling stations in the Inner Manipur constituency and 11 in the Outer Manipur constituency.

Voter turnout in Manipur

Manipur recorded a voter turnout of 72 per cent in the two Lok Sabha constituencies - Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur - on Friday.

Until 9:00 am approximately 12.6% of the nearly 15.44 lakh voters in Manipur impacted by ethnic violence exercised their right to vote for the two Lok Sabha seats. The Inner Manipur constituency had 13. 82% turnout, while Outer Manipur witnessed 11. 57% turnout in the first two hours of voting.

(With inputs from agencies)