Imphal, Apr 19: Incidents of firing, intimidation, destruction of EVMs at some polling booths and allegations of booth capturing were reported from conflict-hit Manipur that recorded a turnout of over 68 per cent in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday.
Both the BJP and the Congress accused each other of unleashing violence and breaching the election Model Code of Conduct.
The state which has been reeling under the conflict of ethnic violence since May last year has traditionally seen a very high voter turnout. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the state recorded a turnout of 82 per cent.
Voting took place in two constituencies–Inner Manipur (32 assembly segments) and Outer Manipur (15 assembly segments)- on Friday while polling in the remaining 13 assembly segments in the Outer Manipur constituency will take place on April 26 in the second phase.
“A voter turnout of 68.82 per cent has been recorded. While the Inner Manipur constituency has recorded 72.3 per cent turnout, the poll percentage in Outer Manipur stood at 61.98 per cent,” said Pradeep Kumar Jha, Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur.
Keirao constituency in Imphal East district recorded the highest turnout among all the 32 constituencies of Inner Manipur with 83.81 per cent.
For Outer, Chandel which has both Naga and Kuki voters recorded the highest turnout with 85.54 per cent turnout. Kuki-dominated Henglep in the Churachandpur district recorded an 80.70 per cent voter turnout while Saikul recorded the lowest with just 19.46 per cent.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s constituency Heingang recorded an 80 per cent turnout followed by BJP candidate Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh’s Nambol constituency, which recorded 79.88 per cent.
According to sources, the incidents of EVMs being destroyed were reported from at least four polling booths by unidentified miscreants in Imphal East and Imphal West.
“An EVM machine was set ablaze at Moirangkampu Sajeb in Khurai constituency in Imphal East district and a 65-year-old man was also shot at by some unidentified gunmen. There has also been vandalism in at least one more polling station, in Uripok in Imphal West,” an official source said.
“He was standing near a polling station when some armed assailants opened fire. He has been taken to a hospital in Imphal for treatment,” a police official said.
