KANGPOKPI, June 2: Making a queasy day for the district administration yesterday with an action-packed incidents happened in most of the 159 polling booths the extremely torrid ADC Poll in Sadar Hills has been bolted at 91.4 pc while 18 polling stations will go for re-poll though advice for re-poll has been sought for 2 polling station from State Election Commission.
The eventful Sadar Hills ADC Poll yesterday witnessed booth capturing as early as a day before the poll day at 22/6 Leirok Vaiphei by BJP supporters who have allegedly deposited the ballot papers before the commencement of poll at 11 pm on May 31 while at 24/1 Kamu Saichang ballot papers have been unlawfully marked by some unknown persons and forcibly deposited before the commencement of the poll.
Early on the poll day some unidentified volunteers forcibly closed casting of votes at around 8:30 am at 16/1 Molkon (E/W) followed by damaged of ballot papers and box at 16/2 Molkon (W/W) at around 9:30 am.
Presiding Officer of 16/1 Molkon (E/W) allegedly told media persons on reaching the District Administration Complex, Kangpokpi at around 11 am that he was held by BJP candidate himself in his neck and warned to leave the polling station if they want to save their life after forcibly signing for re-poll in his report.
The fiery Sadar Hills ADC poll also witnessed Booth captured, ballot box snatched and damaged, ballot paper burnt, proxy/unfair voting by unknown persons or by means of manpower or by suspected persons at 17/2- Maojang, 19/4- Ankhumbung, 19/5 -Thangal Surung, 19/7- Yongba Langkhong, 20/5 -H. Champhai, 21/1 -Khamenlok, 22/1 -Silent, 22/4 -Island, 22/5-Kamuching, 23/2- Waithou Chiru, 23/6-Terakhong and 24/4-Salam Vaiphei polling stations.
At 6/3-Lower Thanamba polling station under 6-Kalapahar DCC in Kangpokpi AC, violence erupted in the middle of the poll when a number of around 40/50 volunteers of both NPF and BJP forcibly entered the polling station and destroyed ballot box and other poll materials sustaining injury to the Presiding Officer including three VDF personnel who are on poll duty at the booth.
When additional security force under Kangpokpi PS arrived at the spot there was no order in the polling station and no ballot papers to continue with polling while the Presiding Officer allegedly told media person who also arrived at the spot that the whole episode of assaulting polling officials and security has been witnessed by the army personnel without taking up any action to protect them.
At 3/5-Thonglang Atongba polling booth after polling had begun for around two hours, one lady pretending to serve tea to the polling personnel poured the whole kettle filled with tea inside the ballot box.
The situation in the polling station vitiated resulting in chaos and unruly behavior thereby bringing an undesirable ending to the voting.
Among many other reports of poll related violence in various polling booths within Sadar Hills IFC Minister Ngamthang Haokip has been allegedly reported to be involved in booth capturing at 11/5 Taloulong polling station at Sanatan Sanskrit Vidiyalaya Jr. H/S Charhajare.
In this regard, BJP candidate Lamminlun Singsit reportedly lodged a complaint to the concerned Returning Officer and told media person at Kangpokpi that the IFC Minister audaciously involved in vote capturing all their polling agents and workers left the polling booth to lodge a complaint at the concerned RO at Kangpokpi.
The BJP candidate while condemning the alleged involvement of IFC Minister in booth capturing demanded re-polls in the said polling station.
According to source from District Election Officer DK. Thangboi, poll had been conducted in 159 polling stations in 22 District Council Constituencies under Sadar Hills yesterday. Out of the 159 polling stations 18 have been recommended for re-poll.
Out of the 18 polling station recommended for re-poll, 16 were from Saikul AC which included 16/1 (Molkon-W/W), 16/2(Molkon-E/W), 17/2(Maojang), 19/4(Ankhumbung), 19/5(Thangal Surung), 19/7(Yongba Langkhong), 20/5 (H.Champhai), 21/1(Khamenlok), 22/1(Silent), 22/4(Island), 22/5(Kamuching), 22/6 (Leirok Vaiphei), 23/2(Waithou Chiru), 23/6(Terakhong), 24/1(Kamu Saichang) and 24/4(Salam Patong) while 2 polling stations from Kangpokpi AC including 3/5(Thonglang Atongba) and 6/3(Lower Thanamba).
Interestingly, there is no polling station recommended for re-poll from Saitu Assembly segment.
Poll per cent at Kangpokpi AC is 88.5 pc, Saikul(93.5 pc) and Saitu (92.3 pc) while the overall poll pc stand at 91.4 pc in respect of Sadar Hills excluding those 18 polling station recommended for re-poll said the District Election Officer, Sadar Hills.
