Manipur polls 2022: Chief Minister among 173 candidates in fray in first phase

Our Correspondent

Imphal, Feb. 12 (EMN): A total of 173 candidates, including 15 women are in the fray for the first phase of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly elections to be held on February 28.

Out of the 15 woman candidates, six are from Imphal West, three each from Bishnupur and Kangpokpi, two from Imphal East and one from Churachandpur district.

Apart from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, there are 18 Independent candidates contesting in the first phase of the poll, the Joint Chief Electoral Officer S Daulat Khan said on Saturday.

The first phase of polling will decide the fate of several heavyweights including incumbent Chief Minister N Biren Singh (Heingang A/C), Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar (Uripok A/C), Assembly Speaker Y Khemchand (Singjamei A/C), Works minister Th Biswajit (Thongju A/C), Education minister S Rajen (Lamshang A/C), Tribal Affairs minister Vungzagin Valte (Thanlon A/C), Consumers Affairs minister Th Satyabrata (Yaiskul A/C), and Agriculture minister O Lukhoi (Wangoi A/C).

Sekmai, Saikul and Saikot assembly constituencies have eight candidates each, while Churachandpur, Khurai and Oinam have seven candidates each. Heingang, Nambol and Thanga constituencies will witness straight fights between Congress and BJP candidates.

96 candidates file nominations for second phase

Meanwhile, a total of 96 candidates have filed their nominations for the second phase of elections after the dateline ended. Scrutiny of nominations will be taken up on February 14 and the list of contesting candidates will be finalised after the last date of withdrawal on February 16.

A detailed meeting of the Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur, with the special observers, all general observers, police observers and expenditure observers was held at the office of CEO on Friday to review the poll preparedness.

The observers revealed that they had visited some of the polling stations, commissioning halls, strong rooms and counting halls as well as held meetings with the district election officers and returning officers.

They expressed satisfaction at the overall preparedness and minor bottlenecks, if any, were brought to the notice of the concerned for necessary amendment.

Regarding postal ballots, 13,274 Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) had been sent to the respective record offices on Saturday for the service electors for the first phase. For the second phase, 8667 ETPBS will be sent to respective record offices on February 17.

More than 80 persons with disabilities, and 6024 electors from essential services have opted for postal ballots in the first phase, while 2687 electors have opted for postal ballots under this categories in the second phase, taking the total number of such voters to 8771 for the upcoming polls.

About 195 polling teams have been constituted for both the phases for casting these postal ballots.

The first phase of the polling will be held on February 28 in 38 assembly constituencies, and the second phase in 22 assembly constituencies on March 5.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10 along with other four states – Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa – that are going to the polls.