Mizoram election results 2023: Early trends show close fight between ruling MNF, ZPM
Mizoram election results 2023: Postal ballots and votes cast at home will be counted first before EVMs will be taken out for counting.
As the counting of votes polled in the assembly elections in Mizoram began at 8am on Monday, very early trends showed a close fight between the ruling Mizo National Front led by chief minister Zoramthanga and the Zoram People's Movement. Postal ballots and votes cast at home, a facility started for senior and specially abled voters, will be counted first before electronic voting machines will be taken out for counting.
Additional chief electoral officer H Lianzela said the counting was being held in 13 centres across Mizoram. One counting hall has been set up for each of the 40 assembly seats at these 13 centres, he said. Follow Live Updates on Mizoram election results 2023
The counting was supposed to happen on Sunday along with Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. However, it was deferred by the Election Commission following appeals by political parties, NGOs, churches and students' bodies as Sunday holds a special significance for the people of Mizoram, a Christian-majority state.
Mizoram has a total of 8.57 lakh voters of which 80.66% had cast their votes on November 7. A total of 10585 voters in the state had cast their votes at home. Mizoram had witnessed an incident-free and peaceful voting that recorded 80.66% voter turnout.
“There will be 40 counting halls in all. Around 4000 counting and other support staff would be on duty in the locations. To ensure security, 10 companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) and around 2000 personnel from Mizoram police would also be engaged,” chief electoral officer Madhup Vyas informed on Sunday.
There are four major contenders in the fray, the ruling Mizo National Front, Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Zoram Peoples Movement. But most exit-polls and experts predict it to be a tight contest between the regional parties, MNF and ZPM.
In 2018, MNF had ousted the Congress from power by winning 26 seats. A new regional party, ZPM, which was formed a year earlier, had come a surprise second winning 8 seats, which Congress, which bagged 5, was relegated to the third spot. BJP made its debut in the Christian-majority state by winning a lone seat.
While MNF, ZPM and Congress have put up candidates in all seats, BJP, which contested 39 seats five years ago, had fielded 23 candidates. There are a total of 174 candidates in fray including 16 women—three from BJP, two each from Congress, MNF and ZPM and rest Independents. The outgoing assembly had no women MLAs.
