Lok Sabha polls: Outer Manipur to vote over 2 days amid single-phase polling in state

New Delhi: Ethnic violence-hit Manipur will go to Lok Sabha elections in a single phase, but voting in one of the two constituencies will be held over two days.

The Inner Manipur seat is scheduled to go to the polls on April 19, while voters in Outer Manipur will cast their votes on April 19 and 26. This is due to the security situation in the state, which has experienced violence since May 23 last year.

The Inner Manipur seat, which has a substantial number of Meitei voters, is presently held by BJP's Dr Ranjan Kumar Rajkumar, a Minister of State in the Narendra Modi government.

The Outer Manipur constituency, which consists of 28 Assembly seats, is held by NPP’s Dr Lorho S Pfoze.

Fifteen of the Assembly seats in Outer Manipur will go to polling on April 19, including Kuki-dominated Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Kakching, as well as Muslim-dominated Wabgai.

On April 26, voters in the rest of the Assembly seats will go to polls. These include Naga-dominated Ukhrul, Tengnoupal, Tamenglong, and Tipaimukh.

While Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar acknowledged that Outer Manipur will vote over two days, he did not specify the reason.

Kumar said the displaced voters presently staying in relief camps will be allowed to vote in such camps.

Special polling stations will be established at or near the camps where such electors, who choose this option, can register their votes using EVMs. The Election Commission issued a comprehensive scheme on February 29 for internally displaced persons of Manipur to cast their votes in relief camps.