Manipur Polls: EC to decide on repoll in Keithelmanbi following clashes between BJP, Cong workers

New Delhi, Feb 28: Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agarwal on Monday said that the Election Commission is considering whether or not to continue the polling as an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) machine has been found to have been broken.

Talking to ANI, Agarwal said, "An incident of poll disruption has been reported in Keithelmanbi. This has led to a delay in the polling process. The EVM machine has been broken, and we're examining whether to continue polls here today or go for a repoll."

As per the reports, clashes between the BJP workers and the Congress supporters broke out in Keithelmanbi following the allegations of booth capturing by the Opposition Party. A total of 173 candidates, including 15 females, are in the fray for the poll.

Voting will continue till 4 pm.

The voters who are COVID positive or are under quarantine will be allowed to vote at the last hour, between 3 pm to 4 pm. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh is contesting from his traditional home seat, Heingang constituency of Imphal East. Notably, the Chief Minister is seeking the fifth term in Manipur.

Notably, this time the BJP decided to go solo and is contesting all 60 seats. On the other hand, Congress has formed an alliance of six political parties and named it Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA). The coalition partners in MPSA include Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Janata Dal (Secular).

The second phase of this 60-member Assembly will take place on March 5. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Sporadic incidents of violence marred elections to 38 assembly constituencies in the first phase of Manipur assembly polls on Monday even as 27.34 per cent of around 12.09 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 11 AM, election officials said.

Voting began at 7 AM in 1,721 polling stations in five districts amid tight security and strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols. A total of 173 candidates, including 15 women, are in the fray, they said.

As many as 6,884 polling personnel have been deployed in the polls. Arrangements for webcasting are in place and micro-observers have been deployed at sensitive polling stations. Central forces along with state security forces are conducting patrolling and area domination in the five districts to boost confidence among the voters, the officials said. Voters initially waited patiently for their turn in chalk-marked circles by maintaining social distancing.

As many as 6,884 polling personnel have been deployed in the polls. Arrangements for webcasting are in place and micro-observers have been deployed at sensitive polling stations. Central forces along with state security forces are conducting patrolling and area domination in the five districts to boost confidence among the voters, the officials said.

Prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase of the elections include the chief minister, Assembly Speaker Y Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister and NPP candidate Yumnam Joykumar and Manipur Congress president N Lokesh Singh. Of the 38 seats, 10 constituencies are in Imphal East, 13 in Imphal West, six each in Bishnupur and Churachandpur, and three in Kangpokpi district. Nine seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and one for Scheduled Castes. All-women personnel are conducting voting in 381 polling stations. PWD personnel are manning a polling station in Saikot assembly seat in Churachandpur.

Polling will end at 4 PM and COVID-19 patients can vote between 3 PM and 4 PM.