Manipur witnessed a significant turnout of 81.16 % in the repolling held till 4 pm for six polling stations in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday.
“No untoward incident was reported,” declared the election officials as the day progressed smoothly under the vigilant watch of security personnel. The polling stations welcomed voters eager to exercise their democratic rights promptly at 7 am.
“Repolling was necessitated,” explained the officials, “as unidentified persons had damaged EVMs and VVPATs before the completion of voting at four of these six polling stations on April 26.” Additionally, EVM malfunctioning and incidents of threats and intimidation marred the electoral process, forcing a reevaluation of the democratic exercise.
The affected areas included four polling stations in the Ukhrul assembly segment, and one each in the Chingai assembly seat in Ukhrul and Karong in Senapati. A notification from the office of Manipur’s chief electoral officer had earlier declared the voting at these stations null and void, acknowledging the need for a fresh mandate. These challenges, however, failed to deter the spirit of democracy.
During the initial polling on April 26, approximately 76.06 per cent of 4.84 lakh voters had exercised their franchise across 13 of the 28 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency. This repolling not only rectified the discrepancies of the past but also showcased the resilience of the electoral machinery and the unwavering determination of the electorate.
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