Lok Sabha elections | Manipur: 17 polling stations in Ukhrul designated as critical

IMPHAL: The election commission of India (ECI) has designated 17 polling stations as critical, 48 as vulnerable, and 80 as normal for two assembly constituencies in Ukhrul district of Manipur.

Ukhrul district in Manipur, comprising 145 polling stations, will participate in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat elections reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) on April 26.

Ukhrul district consists of two assembly constituencies: Ukhrul and Chingai, with a total of 93,651 electors.

Manipur additional chief electoral officer (CEO) N Praveen Singh disclosed that security arrangements for Ukhrul district of the state include deployment of 13 companies from central forces (10 BSF companies and 3 CISF companies), along with 547 Manipur police personnel and 357 Village Defence Forces/Home Guard personnel from the state.

A total of 414 vehicles, both heavy and light, are required for smooth conduct of Lok Sabha elections in Manipur, out of which 353 have been requisitioned, with the remaining 61 expected to be ready soon.

Manipur, with its two Lok Sabha constituencies—the Inner Manipur constituency and the Outer Manipur constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST)—will go to polls on April 19 and 26, respectively.

Ukhrul district in Manipur, falling under the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency, will vote on April 26.

Four candidates are vying for the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat: Alfred Kanngam S Arthur (Congress), Kachui Timothy Zimik (NPF), Alyson Abonmai (Independent) and S Kho John (Independent).

Notably, the two primary contenders, Alfred Kanngam S Arthur (Congress) and Kachui Timothy Zimik (NPF), hail from Ukhrul district in Manipur.

In the 2019 Outer Manipur Lok Sabha election, NPF candidate had emerged victorious from this constituency.