Mizoram releases final voter lists for village & local council elections

Aizawl: The Mizoram State Election Commission released the final voter lists on Wednesday for the upcoming elections to 544 village councils (VCs) across nine districts, excluding three autonomous district council areas in Lawngtlai and Siaha districts in south Mizoram.

The final electoral rolls for 111 local councils (LCs) in Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) were also published.

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The VC and LC elections are scheduled for February. The voter rolls show a total of 4,37,708 voters for the village councils, including 2,22,098 female electors, with female voters outnumbering males by 6,488.

Aizawl district, with 70 VCs, has the highest voter count at 61,947, while Lunglei district, with 88 VCs, follows closely with 51,731 voters. Hnahthial district in south Mizoram, with only 32 VCs, has the smallest voter count at 23,160.

Voters in the Lai, Mara, and Chakma councils in the Lawngtlai and Siaha districts are excluded from these lists as elections for these councils are held separately.

The total number of voters in the LCs within AMC and LMC stands at 2,85,932, with 2,44,726 voters in AMC and 41,206 in LMC.

In November 2024, the state government issued notifications reducing the terms of the VCs and LCs by six months, causing their tenure to end on February 19, 2025.

This move was met with criticism from opposition parties and the All Mizoram Village Councils Association (AMVCA), which has challenged the decision in the Gauhati High Court. A fresh hearing is expected in January.

State Local Administration (LAD) Minister C. Lalsawivunga defended the decision, stating that it was necessary for the effective management and usage of funds.