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76.04% voter turnout reported in Manipur amid violence

Last updated on: March 05, 2022 20:10 IST

The turnout in the second and the final phase of Manipur Assembly poll on Saturday was recorded at 76.04 pc amid stray incidents of violence in some places before and after the begining of voting, election department officials said.

IMAGE: Voters wait in a queue to cast their votes at a polling booth, during the second phase of the Manipur assembly elections, in Chandel. Photograph: PTI Photo

Voting was held in 22 constituencies across six districts amid tight security and strict adherence to COVID-19 protocol.

Senapati district, where polling was held in three assembly constituencies registered the highest turn out of 82.02 per cent followed by Thoubal district at 78 per cent. Thoubal has 10 constituencies, the officials said.

Ukhrul and Chandel districts which have three constituencies registered 71.57 and 76.71 per cent respectively while Tamenglong with three constituencies registered the least turn out with 66.40 per cent. Jiribam, the smallest district with only one constituency recorded 75.02 per cent polling.

Polling was marred by violence in some places, as security forces deployed at Ngamju polling station in Karong assembly constituency in Senapati district allegedly shot at two people, the police said.

The election agent of a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in a complaint filed with the returning officer demanded a magisterial inquiry into the incident and polling has been halted at the Ngamju polling station, the election official said.

Violence was reported from some places of the north east state hours before the second phase of polling commenced as a BJP supporter was gunned down allegedly by a Congress worker and a crude bomb exploded outside the residence of an expelled saffron party leader, police said.

IMAGE: Voters holding their identification cards stand in a queue to cast their votes in Senapati. Photograph: PTI Photo

A 25-year-old succumbed to bullet injuries early on Saturday at a hospital in Imphal, a police officer said.

On Friday night unidentified miscreants lobbed a crude bomb at the residence of expelled BJP leader Ch Bijoy in Lamphel area in Imphal West district, police said.

Nobody was injured in the blast triggered by two masked persons, who came in a two-wheeler, they said.

Among the early voters was Congress leader and former chief minister O Ibobi Singh in Thoubal district.

Saturday's polling decided the electoral fate of 92 candidates, including 12 from the BJP, 18 from Congress, 11 National People's Party and ten each of the Janata Dal-United and Naga People's Front.