Manipur: EC orders repoll in 12 polling stations as violence continues

Ahead of the second phase of the Manipur Assembly Election, the Election Commission on Thursday ordered re-polling in 12 polling stations falling under five Assembly constituencies in Churachandpur, Imphal East and Kangpokpi districts as violence is still continuing in Kakching Khunou.

The re-polling will be held on March 5 when 22 constituencies will go to polling in the second phase.

A clash broke out between Congress and BJP party workers in Kakching Khunou.In the pre-poll violence that broke out at Kakching Khunou Ningthou Leikai, 12 vehicles including two-wheelers and four-wheelers were damaged in the mob fury on Wednesday night around 11.30 pm.

The incident broke out when some BJP workers were passing to and fro near Congress MLA K Ranjit Singh's election camp with their election theme song being played on loudspeakers. This enraged the Congress workers and exchanged hot words and following that both the political party workers broke out into a scuffle.

The clash damaged 12 vehicles including one Bollero Jeep, one Hyundai Santro Car and two Maruti Gypsy.

The second and final phase of voting is scheduled for March 5. On February 28, the first phase of the Manipur assembly polls for 38 seats in five electoral districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur were held. The voter turnout of 88.63 percent was recorded in the first phase as per the Election Commission of India.

The polling stations going for repoll include Sarouthel, New Keithelmanbi, Songsang, Maite, Tinsuong, Majuron Kuki, N Chingphei, Khoirentak, Molsang, Leinom, Teikot and Maukot.

The proposal for re-poll in these polling stations was recommended based on thefacts and information received and reported from respective Retumlng Officers. One of the mainreasons for consideration of re-polling was damage of EVMs by miscreants during and after the election.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit of Manipur Pradesh on Wednesday in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Manipur have demanded re-polling at 23 polling stations over allegations of booth capturing, bogus voting and violence during the first phase of Assembly elections.

( With inputs from ANI )

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