Protests over tribal refugees voting in Mizoram LS poll

Lalhmachhuana told reporters Wednesday that the tribal refugees left Mizoram at their own will (in 1997 and later in 2009) and showed inaccurate reasons for not returning despite several repatriation programmes by the Mizoram government.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had also earlier this month urged Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath to not allow the tribal refugees, living in seven relief camps, to exercise their franchise in deciding the fate of the state's lone Lok Sabha seat through postal ballot.

Meanwhile, Tripura Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Asutosh Jindal told reporters in Agartala: "Like on previous occasions, the CEC has decided to take the votes of the refugees in the relief camps in north Tripura through postal ballots."

"At least one facilitation centre would be set up in each of the seven refugee camps in north Tripura during the first week of April so that the eligible refugees could cast their votes for the Mizoram Lok Sabha poll," he said.

Earlier this month, the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), an organisation of the tribal refugees, all Reang tribes, asked the Election Commission to conduct elections in the relief camps.