NEW DELHI (Agency): The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that six polling stations within the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency would be repolled on April 30. The directive came after reports of tampering with electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems had emerged during the initial voting on April 26. The affected polling stations are located in the Ukhrul and Senapati districts, with four in the Ukhrul assembly segment and one each in Chingai and Karong.
“The Election Commission of India has, under Sections 58(2) and 58A(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, directed that the poll taken on April 26, 2024 (Friday) in respect of 6 polling stations listed in the table below of 2- Outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constituency to be void and appointed April 30, 2024 (Tuesday) as the date for taking fresh poll at the said polling stations with hours of poll from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM,” an official statement said, as quoted by PTI.
What happened on the polling day?
On the day of the vote, several stations reported damages to the EVMs and VVPATs before the voting process could be completed. One station experienced EVM malfunctions, while another faced repeated interruptions due to intimidation by unidentified individuals.
As a result, the voting records from these stations have been declared null and void, necessitating a repoll to ensure all constituents have an opportunity to cast their votes, the report added.
This decision comes amid ongoing ethnic tensions in the region, which have occasionally erupted into violence. Most recently, a clash involving gunfire and makeshift mortars occurred between two rival community groups at Koutruk Village, Imphal West district, underscoring the volatile situation.
The repolling aims to restore the integrity of the electoral process in these troubled areas and uphold the democratic rights of the voters despite the challenges posed by the current atmosphere.
(Courtesy: Livemint)
