ECI orders fresh polling at six polling stations in Outer Manipur on April 30

Imphal: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered fresh polling at six stations of three assembly segments – Ukhrul, Chingai and Karong falling under the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency, which went to the polls on Friday. The repolling will be held from 7am to 4pm on April 30.

Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pradeep Kumar Jha in a press release late on Saturday night said, “The Election Commission of India has, under Sections 58(2) and 58A(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, directed that the poll taken on 26th April 2024 (Friday) in respect of six polling stations listed in the table below of two Outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constituency to be void and appointed 30th April 2024 as the date for taking fresh poll at the said polling stations with hours of poll from 7am to 4pm.”

The six polling stations where the ECI has ordered fresh polls are 44/20 Shangshak (A), 44/36 Ukhrul Model High School,44/41 Greenland Primary School and 44/50 KK Leishi Phanit Junior School of Ukhrul district, 47/33 Oinam (Al) of Karong Assembly Constituency of Senapati district and 45/14 Chingai polling station of Chingai Assembly Constituency of Ukhrul district.

Jha further appealed to the voters of these polling stations to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise.

It may be mentioned here that the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) had urged the CEO by a letter to take up necessary action to re-poll or fresh poll at 19 polling stations in Ukhrul (17) and Phungyar (2) assembly constituencies in Outer Manipur.

Manipur has two Lok Sabha Seats – Inner and Outer Manipur. The phase two polling in the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency held on April 26 will decide the fate of four candidates – Alfred Kanngam Arthur (Congress), Kachui Timothy Zimik (Naga People’s Front), Independent candidates S Kho John and Alyson Abonmai.

Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam (Congress), Th Basantakumar (Bharatiya Janata Party), Maheshwar Thounaojam (Republican Party of India-Athawale), Independent candidates RK Somendro alias Kaiku, retired Col H Sarat and Moirangthem Totomsana Nongshaba had contested in the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency. 

Polling for Inner Manipur was held on April 19 in phase one. Here too, re-polling was held on April 22 on the directives of the ECI as 11 polling stations saw mob violence, riots, destruction of EVM and election machines and proxy voting in the first phase polls on April 19. 

After the completion of phase two polling, Manipur recorded a voter turnout of 77.32 per cent, the highest in the country. The next round of polling will be held on May 7. The counting will take place on June 4.