EC approves repolling in 12 booths of Inner Manipur LS seat

The Election Commission has approved re-polling in 12 booths of Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency, where the voting process was disrupted or stalled during the second phase on April 18.

Noting that the polling undertaken in these 12 booths has been declared "void" by the EC, Chief Electoral Officer PK Singh said Monday fresh elections will be held on April 24 amid enhanced security arrangements.

He asked the polling agents to take necessary measures to ensure free and fair polls.

"There will be arrangements for webcasting and CCTV coverage both outside and inside the polling stations. The police department will provide adequate security arrangements for fresh polls," Singh said in a statement.

Repolling was necessitated in the 12 booths, five of which come under Chief Minister N Biren Singh's home constituency Heingang, after multiple complaints of EVM rigging and booth capture were registered with the state election office.

Violence had broken out in two polling stations of Kiyamgei Muslim locality in Imphal East district, stalling the voting process.

In one of the stations, a group of miscreants broke EVMs and VVPATs, while in the other, a scuffle broke out between the election agents.

The opposition Congress had demanded re-polling in multiple booths of the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat, including the ones in Heingang assembly segment, alleging malpractices and rampant proxy voting.

Manipur has two parliamentary seats, one of which went to polls on April 11 and the other on April 18.