Manipur LS Elections: ECI airlifts polling officials in Churachandpur

Churachandpur: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday started airlifting polling personnel in Manipur’s Churachandpur district bordering Myanmar on the south for the elections to the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency reserved for scheduled tribes which will go to the polls on April 19 and 26.

Polling officials detailed for duty in four polling stations located at far-off places in Henglep Assembly Constituency for the General Elections to Lok Sabha 2024 were dispersed from Peace Ground, Churachandpur district headquarters on Tuesday morning.

Four Assembly segments of Churachandpur district namely Henglep (Scheduled Tribes), Churachandpur (ST), Saikot (ST), and Singhat (ST) under II-Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency are among those that will go to the polls on April 19.

On Tuesday morning, the District Election Officer/District Commissioner (DEO/DC) Dharun Kumar flagged off the first four teams detailed for Sanglel, Khanpi, Songkong, and Phaibong polling stations.

Two polling personnel (PSs) at the four polling stations were airlifted along with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in an Indian Air Force chopper.

The EVM teams landed at Khanpi polling stations before noon on Tuesday.

At the same time, security teams for the four PSs and the two polling personnel for each of the four PSs have also started moving towards their destinations on Tuesday by road.

Polling teams for 21 polling stations under 57-Henglep AC and 15 PSs under 60-Singhat Assembly Constituency will be dispatched on Wednesday to their respective destination.

Churachandpur district is predominantly inhabited by the Kuki-Zo communities but no candidate from these communities is in the electoral fray this time.

Four Naga candidates — Congress, Naga People’s Front, and two independents are in the battle of ballots for the Outer Manipur LS seat.

Shaik Mohd Zaib Zakir, Superintendent of Police, Churachandpur district,  Saurabh Yadav, Additional District Election Officer, and Assistant Returning officers were also present at the flagging-off event.