Manipur LS Polls: Road-shows, grand feasts banned in five Imphal West villages

Imphal: To ensure free and fair implementation of the forthcoming 18th Parliamentary constituency elections 2024, five villages in Manipur’s Imphal West district have been put under certain restrictions before selecting the right candidate.

A newly formed Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) of the five villages — Sangaithel, Karong, Khachikhul, Maklang, and Haorou Khunou have put measures in place to prevent the misuse of cash for electoral influence.

The Committee has issued a ‘warning’ declaring voter impersonation as deception, urging the voters to refrain from the evil practice, not to take part in the road-shows at the territories of these five villages, refrain from organizing grand feasts in the name of election campaigns, and devoid themselves from collecting money in the name of the elections from political activities and candidates.

The meeting among others attended by many villagers including the Meira Paibis was held at Khachipur Community Hall on Friday.

Konthoujam Kunjeshrow, Convenor of the Khachipur Development Committee comvenor said that in the increasingly high-stakes world of election campaigning, aggressive displays of candidate wealth, from cash handouts to alcohol distribution to big rallies, are becoming more common and more extravagant.

He appealed to the voters to elect the right candidate for the restoration of an elusive peace in Manipur which has been facing hardships for the past 11 months owing to ethnic violence.

Notably, for these villagers, the polling to the 18th Lok Sabha polls for the Inner Manipur seat will be held on April 19 in multi-cornered contests.