New Delhi: Polling for 22 seats in the second and last phase of assembly elections in Manipur started at 7am on Wednesday amid tight security, with focus on chief minister O. Ibobi Singh’s seat Thoubal, where he faces a challenge from activist-turned-politician Irom Sharmila and Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Leitanthem Basanta Singh.
Voting will end at 3pm in the 22 assembly constituencies spread over the valley district of Thoubal and the hill districts of Ukhrul, Chandel, Tamenglong and Senapati.
The first phase of polling to the 60-member assembly was held on 4 March. Here are the latest updates and key developments from the second phase of polling in Manipur:
■ 1.40pm: 67% votes were polled till 1pm in the second and final phase of Manipur Assembly election on Wednesday amid few incidents of violence. (PTI)
■ 11.45am: A voter turnout of 45% recorded till 11am in the second and final phase of Manipur assembly election on Wednesday.
Urging all those voting today, in the 2nd phase of the Manipur Assembly Elections to turnout in large numbers & vote.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2017
■ 10.30am: A voter turnout of 31% was recorded till 10am in the second and final phase of Manipur assembly election on Wednesday.
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■ 10.15am: No untoward incident has been reported in the first three hours of polling, state nodal officer (elections) W. Chandrakumar Singh said.
■ 10.00am: Chief minister O. Ibobi Singh, who is contesting from Thoubal seat, cast his vote at a polling booth of Thoubal constituency at 7.15am.
Also read | Sharmila versus Ibobi Singh in phase-II of Manipur polls tomorrow
Here are some key facts related to assembly elections in Manipur:
— Ninety-eight candidates, including Sharmila, are in the fray in this phase.
— Sharmila, who is pitted against the chief minister in Thoubal assembly seat, had cast her vote at a polling booth of Khurai assembly constituency in the first phase.
— A total of 98 contestants will vie for the 22 seats spread across the valley districts of Thoubal and the hill districts of Ukhrul, Chandel, Tamenglong and Senapati.
— The state has a 1,902,562-strong electorate comprising 928,573 male voters and 973,989 female voters. There are around 45,642 new voters.
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— As many as 1,151 polling stations have been set up for the second and last phase of election to the 60-member assembly.
— The Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangement by deploying 280 companies of central police forces to keep the election free and fair.
