Re-polling in 7 polling stations in Manipur on Tuesday

Imphal, March 7 (IANS) The Election Commission on Monday ordered re-polling in seven polling stations under five Assembly constituencies in Manipur, Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agrawal said.

Repolling would be held on Tuesday in seven polling stations under Tadubi, Ukhrul, Chingai, Karong (all reserved for ST), and Wangjing Tentha Assembly constituencies.

He said that one of the main reasons for consideration of re-polling was connected to damage of Electronic Voting Machines by miscreants during and after the second and final phase of polling on March 5.

These kind of incidents lead to major discomfort to the electors of the polling stations as their right to franchise gets infringed on the poll day and they will now need to come out again to exercise their rightful franchise on the day of re-poll, Agrawal said.

The CEO earlier said that 12 incidents of damage to EVMs by miscreants were reported on Saturday and FIRs have been registered in each case.

At least two persons were killed in a police firing and an attack by the rival party workers and several others were injured in separate incidents in Senapati and Thoubal districts in Manipur in the second phase of elections. Over 77 per cent of the 8,38,730 voters exercised their franchise in 22 of the 60 constituencies on Saturday while in the first phase of polling, 88.63 per cent of 12,09,439 voters cast their votes in 38 seats on February 28.Counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.