Imphal, May 30 2010: Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi today met with the candidates Autonomous District Councils elections taking refuge at the secure place in Imphal and assured safety measure for their life.

As many as 85 candidates including two women contesting the elections in ADCs in Naga dominated four hill districts of Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel and Ukhrul were taking shelter at the Youth Hostel and Youth Centre at Khuman Lampak, Imphal following receive of threats on their live for refusing to retire from candidatures by various civil bodies boycotting the elections.

Chief Minister, O Ibobi met with the candidates for about an hour, from 8.45 am to 9.45 am and held interaction with the candidates to know their grievances.

During the interaction held at the Youth Hostel, the Chief Minister after hearing the pressures and intimations received by them to withdraw their candidatures reportedly assured that government will take up all measure to safeguard their life.

The Chief Minister further informed that government had taken up all measures for the polling for the second phase schedule on June 2 next, they said.

Government is providing shelter for the candidates in the ADC elections as they were under threats with the expiry of deadline set by the United Naga Council, Manipur particularly to the Naga candidates.

With the expired of the deadline on May 16 last, candidates in the fray in Chandel, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts coming down to Imphal were given shelters at SAI Youth Hostel and State Youth Centre at Khuman Lampak, Imphal where security force guarding round the clock.

In the meantime, in the midst of reports of recent kidnapping and threatening to the ADC candidates in Naga dominated hill districts a report of assaulting a candidate in Ukhrul district reported.

After escaping from the miscreants, the candidate reportedly reached Imphal last night.

However, till the time of filing this report, the particular of the candidate could not be revealed.

Thirty out of 85 candidates in the fray in ADC elections taking shelter were from Tamenglong district, 26 from Senapati district and 24 including the two women candidates from Ukhrul while the rest five from Chandel district where election had already conducted on May 26 last.

Meanwhile, when polling personnel for the 2nd phase election to be conducted on June 2 next is getting underway in four Naga dominated hill districts and started leaving for their respective polling stations from today, four candidates in Tamenglong district have submitted their retirement notice to the district election officers.

Out Tamenglong correspondent said the four candidates who submitted their retirement notices were Dikham contesting in 52/9 Oinamlong ADC seat, Tangambou in 52/1 Kuilong ADC seat, Kaighachung Khumba in 53/7 Haochong ADC seat and G Apoukhui in 54/2.They were all independent candidates.

On the other hand despite the boycott called by various civil societies, many people in the district wanted to participate in the election.

"If no one disturb everybody is willing to use their franchise.

I and my family also willing to cast votes on polling day," a resident of Tamenglong district who wanted to omit his name said over phone when contacted by this correspondent.

But he clarified that if hard resistant coming up, they will not go for casting votes.

Meanwhile, nine polling personnel have left district headquarters today for their respective polling stations in Tuosem sub-division.

On June 2, polling will be conducted in 184 polling stations in 30 ADC constituencies, out of which a maximum of 20 in Tamenglong district and four in Senapati and six in Ukhrul district.

Lone candidates in the rest 66 constituencies had already declared elected contested by the election authority.

There are a total of 96 (24 each) seats in the four ADCs.

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