Outer Manipur: Over 54 pc turnout recorded till 1 p.m. in 8 districts

Imphal: Over 54 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the first six hours of polling in the remaining part of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency, where polling is underway amid heavy security cover, officials said on Friday.

According to the police and election officials, no untoward incident was reported from the constituency spread across eight hilly districts - Ukhrul, Kamjong, Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Jiribam, Pherzawl, and Tengnoupal.

Friday’s polling is being held in the remaining 13 Assembly segments under the Outer Manipur seat, where voting for the 15 other Assembly segments was held in the first phase on April 19 along with the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat.

According to election officials, around 4.85 lakh voters, including 2.46 lakh females, are eligible to cast votes in 848 polling stations on Friday to decide the fate of four candidates.

The voters who are sheltered at relief camps due to the nearly yearlong ethnic violence in the state would exercise their franchise at nine special polling stations set up in the relief camps in three districts, an election official said.

While the state’s ruling BJP is contesting the Inner Manipur seat, it has extended its support to the Naga People’s Front (NPF) nominee Kachui Timothy Zimik, who replaced sitting MP Lorho S. Pfoze, in the Outer Manipur seat.

The Congress-led INDIA bloc has fielded Alfred Kanngam S. Arthur from Outer Manipur. Though two Independents -- S. Kho John and Alyson Abonmai -- are also contesting the polls, the main contest is between Zimik and Arthur, both Nagas.

The Naga community has professed to remain neutral during the ethnic conflict between the Meiteis of the valley and the Kumi-Zomis of the hills.

In view of the ethnic violence, campaigning for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state was significantly subdued this time.