Women voters outnumber their male counterparts in Inner Manipur parliamentary seat

IMPHAL — Female voters outnumber their male counterparts in Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, which will go to polls in the first phase of polling on April 19.

Out of 9,91,574 total voters in the constituency which comprises of 32 assembly constituencies across four districts, 5,70,324 are female voters while 4,21,250 are males. The total number of service voters is 9,541 and 5,021 absentee voters (including those aged above 85 years).

Meanwhile, highlighting the preparedness for the first phase polling on April 19, the Deputy Commissioner of Imphal West district and Returning Officer of Inner Manipur parliamentary seat, Th Kirankumar, said that the polling will be held from 7am to 4pm at 1348 polling stations, including 29 special polling stations arranged for the internally displaced persons.

Regarding home visit for absentee voters in the Imphal West district, which has 13 assembly constituencies, he said, ‘The first-round visit will take place on April 14 and 15, where we will ensure each and every electorate is visited by our teams and second round of visit will take place on April 16.’

The dry day will be enforced 48 hours ahead of the polling hours, he added.

Updating the security arrangement for the upcoming polls, SP (Imphal West district) Ksh Shibakanta said that the law enforcement agencies have  seized 4840 litres of local liquor, 295 litres of Indian made foreign liquor and arrested 750 persons. However, no cash has been seized so far, he said.

The fate of six candidates — Thounaojam Basantakumar (BJP), Angomcha Bimol Akoijam (Congress), Maheshwar Thounaojam (RPI- Athawale), R K Somendro (Ind), Moirangthem Tomtomsana Nongshaba (Ind) and Haorungbam Sarat (Ind) – contesting the Inner Manipur seat, will be decided in the first phase of polling.

Meanwhile, polling for Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency will be held in two phases –April 19 and 26. Four candidates — Alfred Kanngam S Arthur (Congress), Kachui Timothy Zimik (Naga People’s Front), S Kho John (Ind) and Dr Alyson Abonmei (Ind) – are in the fray.

This time, a total of 94 special polling stations will be arranged to enable internally displaced persons (IDP) participate in the Lok Sabha election from the relief camps.

It may be mentioned that more than 50,000 people were internally displaced due to the ethnic conflict that has engulfed Manipur since May 3 last year. As a result, the IDPs were presently taking shelter at various relief camps set up in different parts of the state.