Repolling : Charhajare draws blank in two booths
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 21: Inspite of repolling held for the Zilla Parishad and Gram Panchayat elections held under strict security vigil in three polling stations (actually four, but two were clubbed together for security reasons) in Charhajare under Lamshang Sub-Division, the poll percentage recorded was very low as none of the electorates in two polling stations came out to cast their votes.

However the overall voters' turn out at the 49 polling stations where repoll was held today was recorded between 86 to 90 percent.

Policemen on duty at a polling station where replolling of GP election was held , voters waiting for their turn to cast votes

As there were huge gaps in the voters' turn out at different polling stations, there will be problems in the constitution of Zilla Parishads, said inside sources.

Even though the repolling was conducted under the vigilant eyes of IG (Law and Order-II) A Romenkumar, DIG (Range-III) M Shantikumar, SP Senapati, CO of 6 MR and CO of 2 MR and stringent security measures put in place to prevent any untoward incidents, the polling stations wore a deserted look till 1.30 pm.

In the polling booth set up at Golden Junior High School only 31 votes had been cast and 12 votes in the Bal Vidya Mandir polling booth.

On the other hand no voters turned up in the two polling booths set up in CL Memorial Hindi School till 1 pm.

On the other side, one supporter of Laishram Birenyaima, the candidate of Langthabal Zilla Parishad has been admitted to RIMS Hospital for treatment after he was allegedly beaten up by an officer of the Imphal West District Police during repolling today.

Birenyaima alleged that his supporter identified as Laishram Bhakta (25) s/o Shanta of Liwa Road Oinam Leikai was called out by the police officer while standing in the queue to cast his vote at Keibung LP School polling booth at around 2.30 pm today and taken inside a room where he was beaten up severely.

There were also many other alleged proxy voters in the same room.

That Bhakta had been beaten up was known only after he fainted, Birenyaima informed.

Birenyaima said he has no objection in taking up action against Bhakta if he had indulged in proxy voting.

However at the time he was called out by the police officer, Bhakta had not even gained entry to the polling station, he said, adding that the action of the police officer smacked of discrimination.

In another poll-related violence, some unidentified uniformed personnel reportedly beat up 10 workers/supporters of a candidate of the Zilla Parishad election near Laikhong village under Yairipok Police Station at around 11.30 pm yesterday.

According to L Khomdon, husband of Sorodhoni of Yairipok Yambem who is the candidate, the incident occurred while they were going to drop some workers at their respective houses in two Gypsys last night after some discussion on matters related to repolling.

As they were approaching Laikhong, the armed uniformed personnel stopped the Gypsys and made all the occupants to lay prostrated on the ground.

After a severe thrashing, the uniformed personnel made the Gypsys to be driven toward Moirang Purel side.

At Chaningpokpi area one of the Gypsys met with an accident and all the occupants have to spend the night there while the other Gypsy was taken further and held the occupants captive for the night.

It was only this morning that the Gypsy was recovered and the occupants returned home safely, he informed.