Manipur Election 2022: 78.03% voter turn recorded in first phase
The Election Commission had originally scheduled phase 1 voting for February 27, but the date was later changed.
FollowVoting for the first phase is underway with 173 candidates in 38 constituencies in fray recorded 78.03% voter turnout. The Election Commission had originally scheduled phase 1 voting for February 27, but the date was later changed. The ballots will be counted on March 10.
Political parties in fray: In 2017, the BJP established a coalition government in Manipur with the National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF), and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). The BJP, on the other hand, has opted to go it alone this time and is fighting all 60 seats on its own.
The Congress, on the other hand, has created a coalition of six political parties known as the Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA). Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Forward Bloc, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), and the Janata Dal-Secular are MPSA coalition partners (Secular).
Key candidates & constituencies in fray:Â A total of 173 candidates, including 15 women, are vying for the 38 seats up for grabs out of the total 60 in Manipur. The valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, and Bishnupur have 29 seats, whereas Churchandpur, Kangpokpi, and Pherzawl have nine seats each. N Biren Singh, Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Heingang, Speaker Y Khemchand Singh from Singjamei, Deputy CM and NPP candidate Yumnam Joykumar from Uripok, and Manipur Congress president N Lokesh Singh from Nambol are among the major contestants.
According to Manipur's Chief Electoral Officer, Rajesh Agarwal, 39 of the total candidates had criminal records. The Bharatiya Janata Party has 38 candidates, while the Indian National Congress has 35. The Janata Dal (United) fielded 28 candidates.
Notably, 381 polling stations will be entirely staffed by women, while one voting station in Saikot will be entirely staffed by people with disabilities (PwD).
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