Manipur polls: Phase two concludes with over 76% turnout; violence reported

Manipur recorded 67.77 per cent polling till 3 pm on Saturday in the second and final phase of the assembly elections across 22 constituencies, amid stray incidents of violence reported from some places before and after voting started, officials said.

Senior Congress leader and party's Manipur observer Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said that he would move to Supreme Court after the "Election Commission maintained that the payments made to banned militant groups in the state didn't constitute the violation of the model code of conduct (MCC)". Alleging that the release of the payments to the banned militant groups after a long hiatus "murdered" elections in 11 Assembly seats in Manipur, Ramesh in a tweet said that the move amounted to the violation of the MCC. He had on Friday alleged that the incumbent BJP government in Manipur had released funds to militant groups even while the MCC was in force in the state and ahead of the second phase of Assembly polls.

BJP candidate from Heirok assembly seat Thokchom Radheshyam Singh believes that he will win the election by a minimum of 5,000 votes. “Polls will decide future of Manipur. I’ll win by a margin of at least 5000 votes,” retired IPS officer added after voting.

Over 40 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 12:00 pm in the second and final leg of the Manipur Assembly polls held in 22 of the 60 constituencies amid tight security, officials said. Election and police officials said a firing incident was reported from Senapati district and activists of political parties clashed in Mao and Moreh, halting the polling briefly. However, details of these incidents are awaited. Political parties are accusing each other of disturbing free and fair election process in many places. Men, women and first time voters in large numbers queued up in front of the polling stations well before the voting started at 7:00 am in six electoral districts. 

Violence erupted in some places of Manipur hours before the second phase of assembly polls began on Saturday, as a BJP supporter was gunned down allegedly by a Congress worker, while a crude bomb exploded outside the residence of an expelled saffron party leader, police said. L Amuba Singh, 25, succumbed to bullet injuries early on Saturday at a hospital here, a police officer said. Polling for the second and last phase of assembly elections in Manipur began at 7:00 am in 22 constituencies across six districts. Singh, along with other BJP activists, had gone to the residence of the Congress worker in the early hours in Thoubal district to tell him to stop campaigning as the stipulated time for it was over, the officer said. During an altercation over the issue, he allegedly fired at Singh, who was first taken to a hospital in the district and later referred to another health facility in Imphal, the officer said. The Congress activist, who is yet to be arrested, was also injured after the visiting BJP workers hurled stones at him when Singh was shot, he added.

"Unemployment is the main issue. We're voting for more opportunities," said young voters.

Unidentified miscreants lobbed a crude bomb at the residence of expelled BJP leader Ch Bijoy in Lamphel area in Manipur’s Imphal West district, police said. The incident took place on Friday night, hours before the second phase of the assembly elections was to begin, they said. Nobody was injured in the blast triggered by two masked persons, who came in a two-wheeler, a police officer said. Bijoy, who was expelled from the saffron party last month for six years on disciplinary grounds, told reporters, "The attack might be a threat… to make me politically silent.” Further investigation is underway, police said. Polling for the second and last phase of assembly elections in Manipur began at 7 am on Saturday in 22 constituencies across six districts.

Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Heirok assembly seat Thokchom Radheshyam Singh believes that he will win the election by a minimum of 5,000 votes. Speaking to the media, Singh said, "Polls will decide future of Manipur. I will win by a margin of at least 5000 votes," retired IPS officer added after voting today. 

Amid the polling for the second and last phase of the Manipur Assembly elections, voters queued up outside the polling booth in Jiribam in the western parts of the state. The voters were standing in line while maintaining social distancing to follow the COVID-19 protocol. Voters in Parlon in Chandel district were also seen standing in queues to cast their votes while maintaining social distancing."Phase 2 of Manipur Assembly Elections 2022 has started. Early voters waiting in line while maintaining Covid SOP to cast their votes in Jiribam," tweeted the Chief Electoral Officer."... poll started on time taking due covid safety measures," he added. Polling is underway for the second and last phase of state Assembly elections today in 22 Assembly constituencies spread across six districts.

"Today is the second phase of the Manipur Assembly elections. Calling upon all those whose constituencies are polling today to vote in large numbers and mark the festival of democracy," tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Proper safety measures have been put in place in order to ensure a Covid-safe election. Khangbok RRT Team has been stationed at Phc Sangaiyumpham. 

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Voters lining up to exercise their right to vote at Model and Women Managed Polling Station, Ukhrul.

Phase 1 Repoll for New Keithelmanbi polling station has started with proper security reinforcement today.

Polling for the last phase of Manipur Elections 2022 has begun. Voters stand in queues at Parlon and Jiribam while maintaining social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic situation. 

Former Manipur Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh casts his vote after a brief delay at the polling station due to a technical error. Speaking to the media, Singh who is contesting from Thoubal Assembly seat said,  "They said that there is some technical error." 

A total of 8,38,730 electors including 4,28,679 females and 31 transgender, are eligible to cast their votes across 1,247 polling stations in six electoral districts- Thoubal, Jiribam, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong. Today's balloting would settle the electoral fortunes of former three time (2002-2017) Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and several other BJP government's ministers and sitting MLAs.

Alleging that militant outfits are intimidating voters and influencing the ongoing assembly polls in Manipur, the Congress on Friday urged the Election Commission to maintain a level-playing field and ensure free and fair polling exercise. A Congress delegation met the commission and also raised the issue of the BJP-led state government releasing funds to militant groups under the suspension of operation agreement, despite the model code of conduct being in force. The party said that these issues have "far-reaching consequences" for the conduct of free and fair elections. The delegation of All India Congress Committee (AICC) senior observer for Manipur Jairam Ramesh and party leader Salman Khurshid met the chief election commissioner and two election commissioners. The Congress apprised them of "the BJP's 'goondagardi' tactics that have made a mockery of the phase-1 polls in Manipur. We urged them to intervene to ensure free and fair polls in phase two tomorrow," Ramesh said after the meeting. "What kind of democracy is this? I feel in Manipur, for the BJP it is not Manipur but 'money-pur'," he said, citing the release on bail of the murder accused brother of a BJP MLA on the day the home minister went to the state. The Congress raised the issue of release of funds- Rs 15.70 crore on February 1 and Rs 92.65 lakh on March 1- to banned militant groups by the state government, according to a memorandum submitted by it.

Voting for the last phase of Manipur Elections 2022 begins; 92 candidates across 22 assembly constituencies in fray. Repolling also being held in 12 polling stations across 5 constituencies that went to the poll on February 28 in the first phase.

A total of about 8.38 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase.

BJP has decided to go solo this time and is contesting all 60 seats alone. On the other hand, Congress has formed an alliance of six political parties and named it Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA). The coalition partners in MPSA include Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), and Janata Dal (Secular). 

Voting will begin at 7:00 am and will continue till 4:00 pm. The voters who are COVID positive or are under quarantine will be allowed to vote at the last hour, between 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Covid-19 protocols for the voters, including use of face masks, sanitiser, social distancing and thermal screening, are being maintained.

A total of 92 candidates, including two females, are in the fray for the second phase of Manipur polls, scheduled for today. 22 contituencies namely Lilong, Thoubal, Wangkhem, Heirok, Wangjing Tentha, Khangabo, Wabgai, Kakching, Hiyanglam, Sugnoo, Jiribam, Chandel (ST), Tengnoupal (ST), Phungyar (ST), Ukhrul (ST), Chingai (ST), Karong (ST), Mao (ST), Tadubi (ST), Tamei (ST), Tamenglong (ST), and Nungba (ST) will be going for polls on March 5.