Manipur: Special polling stations for IDPs staying outside the relief camps in Imphal West

Imphal: The Election Commission of India arranged eight Special Polling Stations (SPSs) for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) staying outside the Relief Camps in Imphal West district during the 18th Parliamentary constituency elections in the state.

Manipur with its two Lok Sabha seats — Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency reserved for scheduled tribes and Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency will go to the polls in two phases on April 19 and 26.

Six candidates are in the electoral fray for the Inner Manipur LS seat and four candidates are in the Outer seat.

Around 61, 000 persons are taking shelter at different locations in the ethnic violence that started on May 3, 2023, between the Kukis and Meities.

In a notification, Th Kirankumar, the District Election Officer, Imphal West, informed all the IDPs staying outside the Relief Camps in their friends/relatives within the jurisdiction of Imphal West District to exercise their votes.

Three special polling stations for the Inner Manipur PC are to be opened at Lamboikhongangkhong (Lamsang assembly constituency), Khyathong (Thangmeiband assembly), and Wangoi (Wangoi assembly) in Imphal west district, the notification states. Five SPSs for Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat are also to be opened at Sagoltongba, (Patsoi assembly) Lamboikhongngakhong (Lamsang assembly), Khuyathong (Uripok), Laphupat Tera (Mayang Imphal) and Hiyangthang (Naoriya Pakhanglakpa assembly). The District Election Officer also urges the IDPs to exercise their franchise for the ensuing elections to which the intending voters to submit their duly filled-in ID Forms by April 9, 2024, at the office of the concerned Assistant Returning Officers of the Imphal West district.