<p>Aizawl: Altogether 174 candidates, including 16 women, have filed nominations for the 40-member Mizoram assembly polls on November 7, officials said on Saturday.</p>.<p>Scrutiny of nomination papers will be undertaken during the day and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 23.</p>.<p>All nominees of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), the opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and the Congress have filed their nomination papers, the officials said.</p>.Mizoram Assembly election: CM Zoramthanga says MNF will retain power, bag more than 25 seats.<p>The MNF has fielded candidates in all 40 seats, including 25 incumbent legislators, while six ZPM MLAs among its 40 nominees are seeking re-election.</p>.<p>Twenty-three BJP candidates and four nominees of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have filed their papers, the officials said, adding that 27 candidates have submitted nomination documents as independents.</p>.<p>Polling for the Mizoram assembly will be held in a single phase on November 7 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.</p>.<p>Earlier, political parties, churches, civil society organisations and student bodies in Christian-dominated Mizoram had urged the Election Commission to reschedule the counting date as it falls on Sunday, which is a sacred day for Christians.</p>.<p>Christians constitute 87 per cent of the state's population.</p>.<p>The Election Commission is yet to respond to the pleas.</p>.<p>A total of 8,56,868 electorates, including 4,38,925 women voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the assembly polls.</p>.<p>The MNF had bagged 26 seats in the 2018 assembly polls, while ZPM secured eight, Congress five and the BJP one.</p>.<p>Later, the MNF won two assembly bypolls, raising its tally to 28. </p>
<p>Aizawl: Altogether 174 candidates, including 16 women, have filed nominations for the 40-member Mizoram assembly polls on November 7, officials said on Saturday.</p>.<p>Scrutiny of nomination papers will be undertaken during the day and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 23.</p>.<p>All nominees of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), the opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and the Congress have filed their nomination papers, the officials said.</p>.Mizoram Assembly election: CM Zoramthanga says MNF will retain power, bag more than 25 seats.<p>The MNF has fielded candidates in all 40 seats, including 25 incumbent legislators, while six ZPM MLAs among its 40 nominees are seeking re-election.</p>.<p>Twenty-three BJP candidates and four nominees of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have filed their papers, the officials said, adding that 27 candidates have submitted nomination documents as independents.</p>.<p>Polling for the Mizoram assembly will be held in a single phase on November 7 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.</p>.<p>Earlier, political parties, churches, civil society organisations and student bodies in Christian-dominated Mizoram had urged the Election Commission to reschedule the counting date as it falls on Sunday, which is a sacred day for Christians.</p>.<p>Christians constitute 87 per cent of the state's population.</p>.<p>The Election Commission is yet to respond to the pleas.</p>.<p>A total of 8,56,868 electorates, including 4,38,925 women voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the assembly polls.</p>.<p>The MNF had bagged 26 seats in the 2018 assembly polls, while ZPM secured eight, Congress five and the BJP one.</p>.<p>Later, the MNF won two assembly bypolls, raising its tally to 28. </p>