Mizoram polls: Nearly 69% voter turnout till 3 pm

Aizawl: In the Mizoram assembly elections, almost 69% of the 8.57 lakh voters cast ballots until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, according to officials.

The polls began at 7 a.m. and lasted up to 4 p.m.

After eight hours of voting, the percentage of voters who cast ballots was 68.96, according to the officials.

Of the 11 districts, Serchhip recorded the highest polling percentage of 77.78, followed by Khawzawl at 77.12 and Hnahthial at 74.96 till 3 pm, it added.

The lowest turnout was recorded in Siaha at 52.02 per cent. Aizawl district (65.06) per cent and Saitual (68.08) also posted lower voting percentages compared to others.

Over 8.57 lakh voters, including 4.39 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the electoral fate of 174 candidates.

Mizoram Additional Chief Electoral Officer H Lianzela said polling has been “peaceful and there has been no law and order issue till now”.

The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), the main opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and the Congress have fielded candidates in all 40 seats. The BJP is contesting 23 constituencies, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated candidates in four assembly segments.

Besides, there are 27 independent candidates.

Votes will be counted on December 3.

A voter turnout of 81.61 per cent was recorded in the previous assembly elections in 2018.

Technical glitches in EVM were reported from one polling station in Aizawl where Chief Minister Zoramthanga went to vote, another official said.

“The CM had, in the morning, gone to Ramhlun Venglai Primary School polling station, but the EVM was not working at that time. So, he went back home and came again at 9.40 a.m. to exercise his franchise,” she said.

State Congress president Lalsawta also cast his vote at a polling station in his Aizawl West-III constituency at 7.40 a.m.

Of the 1,276 polling stations across Mizoram, 149 are remote voting centres, and 30 along the inter-state and international borders have been declared critical and vulnerable.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made with 7,200 personnel deployed across the state to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections, the officials said.

The 510-km-long international border with Myanmar and the 318-km boundary with Bangladesh have been sealed ahead of the polling.

The MNF had won 26 of the 40 seats, securing two more in subsequent by-polls, while the opposition ZPM had won eight constituencies, relegating Congress, which had bagged five assembly segments, to third place.

The BJP had opened its account in the Christian-majority state, winning one seat.

With PTI inputs