EC defers Mizoram poll date to April 11

The Election Commission on Tuesday deferred the polling date for election to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram and by-poll to Hrangturzo assembly seat to April 11 from April 9 in view of a state-wide bandh called against exercise of franchise by Bru voters lodged in Tripura camps through postal ballots.

Polling will be held in Mizoram on April 11 and re-polling, if any, on April 14, EC Secretary Narendra N Bhutolia said in a letter to the state Chief Electoral Officer Ashwani Kumar.

The EC also decided that provision would be made during future elections for exercise of franchise within the state of Mizoram by Bru voters living in Tripura, but enrolled in the voter list of Mizoram.

The EC decision followed the 72-hour state-wide bandh called by the Joint NGO Coordination on Monday in protest against the exercise of franchise by Bru voters in six relief camps in Tripura on April 1 to 3, through postal ballots.

Except for the south Mizoram's Lawngtlai and Saiha districts, not a single polling party left the district headquarters for their places of poll duty on Monday due to the bandh.

The bandh, however, was not enforced in the two districts due to late delivery of information from Aizawl, Jt NGO Coordination Chairman Lalbiakzuala said.

Meanwhile, the Joint NGO Coordination's demand of repatriation of all Brus from the six relief camps in North Tripura district within three months after completion of the election process and deletion of the names of those who would refuse to return to Mizoram from the voter lists was being deliberated by top state government officials.

Image: Election officials mark the fingers of voters before they cast their ballot during 2008 assembly election in Aizawl

Photograph: Jayanta Dey/Reuters