Re-poll in Aizawl South seat booth

Aizawl: Re-poll would be conducted in Republic-I polling station in Aizawl South-I constituency on Thursday due to reports of alleged malpractices by one polling official, Mizoram`s Joint Chief Electoral Officer H Lalengmawia said.

Lalengmawia told a news agency Tuesday evening that the re-poll was ordered after the decision was made by the Election Commission following complaints from a number of voters and the decision of the Commission came late this evening. A polling official in the polling station allegedly told voters to push a particular button, the third one (that of the Congress candidate`s) and the complaint was lodged to the state election department by the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) after two women voters lodged a protest. Some voters also alleged that the polling officer was acting like a peeping tom when they were casting their votes. Candidates in the seat included the sitting legislator K Liantlinga of the ZNP, R Vanlalvena, former student leader, of the ruling Congress, who had contested and lost in 2008 state assembly polls and RK Lianzuala of the main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), a well-known television personality.