IMPHAL, Jun 2: A large turnout was recorded in the Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) election held today across the twin districts of Imphal. Barring stray incidents of clashes among supporters of candidates, the voting was largely peaceful despite public curfew imposed on non-locals.
Voting began from 8 am and concluded at 4 pm and polling was pegged at 83.1 pc in Imphal East and 81 pc in Imphal West. Repoll will be held at one polling station in Imphal West on June 4.
Altogether, 86 candidates including 36 women contested the election for the post of 27 Councillors. INC and BJP put up 26 candidates each whereas CPI fielded five candidates, LJP three, 1 JD (U) while 25 Independent candidates are in the race.
Large number of people were seen exercising their franchise at different polling stations. Out of the 54 Ward Members to be elected, two seats have already been declared elected uncontested. There are a total of 127 in the poll for election of the remaining 52 Ward Members.
All 189 polling stations in Imphal West were declared hyper-sensitive and out of the total 66 polling stations in Imphal East, 11 was categorised hyper-sensitive while 21 polling stations are sensitive and 34 polling stations are categorised as normal.
Meanwhile non-local voters in Khwairamband Keithel braved the public curfew imposed on them by JCILPS and came out to exercise their franchise. Even though demand has been raised that non-locals be barred from contesting elections and voting, a large number of voters came out to elect their representatives at polling station number 25, Bhairodan Maxwell Hindi Primary and High School located at Thangal bazar. With security measures having been tightened in the wake of the public curfew on non-locals in Khwairamband Keithel, the heart of Imphal city wore a deserted look.
At polling station number 14/8 of Yaiskul Assembly Constituency, two inner agents of different political parties protested by walking out of the station around 1.30 pm. Following the protest, voting activity came to a stand-still till 2.30 pm, after which the presiding officer asked the inner agents to resume their duty.
When contacted, the presiding officer said that the inner agents failed to turn up after repeated request to resume their duty and polling had to continue with only one inner agent.
At polling station number 24/2 TG Higher Secondary school under Sagolband AC, a confrontation ensued between local MLA RK Imo and former MLA Dr Kh Loken over the issue of proxy voting, according to information received from the spot. Earlier the fight ensued after INC workers and BJP workers confronted one another over proxy voting by the INC according to information. A team of City Police had a tough time controlling the confrontation.
