Manipur Congress Demands Re-polls in 36 Polling Stations

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has written to the CEO Manipur, urging for conduct of Re- polls in as many as 36 polling stations under 11 Assembly Constituencies of Inner Manipur Parliamentary seat.

Amidst reports of rampant incidents of violence following the alleged malpractices carried out by the armed militants in the valley of Imphal during the first phase of polls, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee has written a complaint to the Chief Electoral Office Manipur requesting for fresh polls in 36 polling stations.

As per the letter, the polling stations which fall under 11 assembly constituencies of Heingang AC, Khurai AC, Kshetrigao AC, Thongju AC, Keirao AC, Andro AC, Yaiskul AC, Sekmai AC, Konthoujam AC, Oinam AC, Moirang AC and Sugnu AC required Re-polls as a result of booths capturing.

The General Secretary (Admin), MPCC, stated that the said polling stations witnessed booth capturing, rigging of polls and force voted/casting of votes by unknown armed miscreants and closing the poll by the mob.

In respect to Khurai AC, the MPCC stated that one person was injured in a gunshot fired by unknown miscreants and many voters were also threatened, thus panicking the voters in the polling station No. 3/11 of 3-Khurai A/C.

In polling station 5/32 of 5-Thongju A/C, the voters of the INC Candidate were thrashed out by one opponent leader, it added.

Some unknown armed miscreants were seen proxy voting while polling agents of the INC Candidate were threatened and expelled from the polling station by the said unknown armed miscreants in polling station No.6/29 of 6-Keirao A/C and polling station No. 7/38 of 7-Andro A/C.

Another incident was also reported where there is a mismatch of the numbers of casted votes in EVM and VVPAT in the polling station No. 14/18 of 14-Yaiskul A/C. In this regard, the Congress' Booth Agent of the said polling station has lodged a complaint to the Presiding Officer asking for re-poll, stated the letter.

Also, in polling station No. 18/22 of 18-Konthoujam A/C, voters were denied the right to exercise their franchise and almost all the votes were casted by armed miscreants, MPCC added.

In polling station Nos. 25/1 and 25/2 of 25-Oinam A/C, there was proxy voting by armed miscreants.

MPCC requested the CEO Manipur to take up the necessary actions for the conduct of re-polls/fresh polls of the above-mentioned polling stations in the interest of justice.