Our Correspondent
Imphal, Oct.9 (EMN): Re-polling in 29 polling stations in Manipur’s four valley districts-Bishnupur, Imphal West, Imphal East and Thoubal out of six districts where 5th General Panchayat elections was held, passed off peacefully following tight security arrangement on Monday. The re-polling which was started from 8am continued till 4pm.
The re-polling was necessitated after State Election Commission declared void the polls at these polling stations following various unwanted incidents during Oct. 7 polling.
The Panchayat election which was held to elect new 60 Zilla Parishad members, 161 Pradhans and 1,513 ward members in 14 sub-divisions under six valley districts – Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Jiribam, Kakching and Thoubal, is an important local body election in the state after BJP led coalition government replaces 15 year old congress rule in the NE state.
A total of 178 Zilla Parishads, 446 Pradhans and 2,556 ward members contested in the polls which saw a good response from the people. Interestingly, 394 candidates, including 391ward members and three Pradhans (Porompat, Wangoi and Nambol) were declared elected uncontested.
For the first time, each voter has to cast his/her vote in secrecy in three ballot papers of three different colours. Ballot paper for Zilla Parishad is in pink colour, for Pradhan in yellow and Gram Panchayat member in white.
On Oct. 7 polling, more than 70 percent of the total of 7,16,813 voters, including 3,68,691 females, franchise their rights across 1,520 polling stations, according to sources.
The counting of votes will take place on Oct. 11, and all election processes would be completed by Oct. 16. The term of the existing representatives expires on Oct. 23.
