IMPHAL, October 2: Out of the 14 aspiring candidates including 10 Congress candidates for the bye election to the 10 seats of the Autonomous District Council in Ukhrul and Senapati districts, two independent candidates from Chawanamai Khullen constituency of Senapati district have withdrawn their candidacy thereby leaving just 12 candidates in the fray for the ten seats.
It may be mentioned that, following the issuance of election notification for the bye-election in respect of the eight district council constituencies of Senapati district and another two district council constituencies of Ukhrul district which have been scheduled for October 28, 14 aspirant candidates have filed their nomination forms to the concerned ROs within the given stipulated time of September 30 last month.
It may also be mentioned that, bye-election of ADC will be held in Chingai A/C under Ukhrul district, Phaibung Khullen A/C and Chawai Namei village A/C under Senapati.
In the meantime, the state election commission while considering an official request from the DCs concern, the venue of scrutiny of nomination papers of the candidates and withdrawal of candidature in respect of the eight district council constituencies under Senapati district and two district council constituencies under Ukhrul district were changed to Imphal in view of unavoidable circumstances.
Further, the RO concerns have performed the work of scrutiny of nomination and withdrawal of the candidature since October 1 at the office complex of the DC, Imphal west, Lamphelpat.
In the meantime, according to a highly placed official source bye-election to the 10 constituencies of district councils of Senapati and Ukhrul districts which are scheduled held on October 28 will be conducted under high security provision.
NEWMAI adds: Out of the ten Autonomous District Council (ADC) seats for which no candidate had contested in an elections last year, eight candidates have been elected unopposed, leaving only two seats for which an election is due October 24 even as Naga bodies continue to boycott the election.
With today being the last date of withdrawal, two independent candidates from Chawanamai Khullen constituency of Senapati district withdrew their candidacy thereby paving the way for the election of the lone Congress candidate unopposed.
Contests to eight seats in Senapati district and two seats in Ukhrul district were suspended in last year’s ADC elections due to ultimatum from Naga civil society organizations to boycott the election.
Of the eight seats in Senapati, seven Congress candidates have been elected unopposed and in Ukhrul one Congress candidate has been elected unopposed. As it stands now, the battle of the ballot will take place in one seat each from Ukhrul and Senapati districts between two Congress and two independent candidates.
8438 voters will decide the fate of the four candidates which include 4475 voters from 17-Phaibung Khullen constituency of Senapati and 3969 voters from 13-Chingai constituency of Ukhrul district. The result of the election will be declared on October 31.