Around 80 per cent polling in first phase of Manipur elections

Imphal, Feb 8 (UNI) Barring minor incidents, polling in the first phase of elections to 19 assembly seats in three districts of Manipur passed off peacefully today, with nearly 80-82 per cent of the 600,000 voters exercising their franchise.

Election officials said some unidentified miscreants destroyed an EVM at the 43/23 polling station at Mawai in Ukhrul district.

Workers of two political parties engaged in a minor scuffle at Sugnu Assembly constituency in Thoubal district. In another incident, a man was stabbed in the same district, police said.

Militants also disrupted voting at five polling stations in Senapati district, police added.

Election officials said a final decision on these five polling stations will be taken after a detailed report.

Election office sources here said about 70 per cent polling was recorded today in the first phase. The Election Commission in New Delhi said an estimated 80-82 per cent turnout was reported.

Due to heavy rains, the turnout was very low in the morning.

However, it picked up with the weather looking up as the day progressed.

Voting was held today in ten segments of Thoubal district, six of Senapati district and three of Ukhrul district at 718 polling stations, 271 of which were identified as hyper-sensitive and 443 sensitive.

Prominent among 77 candidates, whose fate would be decided in this phase, are Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who is contesting from Thoubal and Heirok seats, and Speaker Md Maniruddin Shaik (Congress), who is trying to retain Lilong against Md Allauddin of NCP and Md Helaluddin Khan of the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Tight security arrangements were made at all polling stations with additional security forces deployed at the sensitive and hyper-sensitive stations.

Wangkhem, Karong and Kangpokpi Assembly segments have the highest number of six candidates.

While, the Congress had fielded nominees at all the 19 seats, the Manipur People's Party was fighting it out at eight, the NCP and the RJD at five each, the CPI at four, the LJSP at three, the Manipur State Congress Party and the SP at two each and NNP and NPP had one candidate each.

Polling in the second phase will be held on February 14 and third phase on February 23.

UNI