Manipur Polls: 77% turnout in final phase, 2 killed in separate incidents

Imphal: At least two persons were killed and a few others were injured in Manipur as over 77 per cent of the 8,38,730 voters exercised their franchise in 22 of the 60 constituencies that went to the polls in the second and final phase Assembly elections on Saturday, officials said.

The voter turnout in 2017 Assembly elections was 86.36 per cent, while it was 82.78 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The police said that one person was killed while another was injured in police firing at Karong in Senapati district, while a BJP activist succumbed to his injuries in Thoubal district.

An officer said that the police had to open fire at Karong after some people tried to snatch an EVM from a polling station after thrashing the polling staff.

In another incident in Thoubal district, some BJP workers went to the residence of a rival party worker late on Friday night. After an altercation, the rival party worker reportedly fired at the BJP activists, injuring few of them who were shifted to the hospital, where one person succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.

Officials said that workers of different political parties clashed in Mao, Moreh and other places, halting the polling there briefly.

Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajesh Agrawal said that in the hill districts, 12 incidents of damage to EVMs by miscreants were reported, and FIRs have been registered in each case.

Political parties have accused each other of disturbing free and fair elections in many places.

Earlier on Saturday, men, women and first-time voters in large numbers queued up in front of the polling stations before the voting started at 7 a.m. in six electoral districts.

According to officials, more than 20,000 Central paramilitary force troopers were deployed for the second phase of polling in six districts -- Thoubal, Jiribam, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong.

While Thoubal district falls in the valley area, the other five districts are in the mountainous regions bordering Assam and Nagaland, as well as Myanmar.

Agrawal said that in all, 8,38,730 voters, including 4,28,679 females and 31 transgenders, were eligible to exercise their franchise in the second phase to decide the fate of 92 candidates, including two females.

The electoral fortunes of three-time Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh (74), as well as several BJP ministers and sitting MLAs, have been sealed in the EVMs in Saturday`s polling. Singh is contesting from the Thoubal Assembly seat.

Meanwhile, re-polling was also held on Saturday at 12 booths in two districts -- Imphal East and Churachandpur.
The re-polling was conducted after miscreants damaged EVMs during and after the first phase of polling on February 28.

The first phase of polling was held in 38 seats on February 28, when 88.63 per cent of 12,09,439 voters exercised their franchise. Counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.