Lok Sabha polls 2024: 529 displaced voters to cast votes in nine special polling stations in Manipur

Guwahati: More than 4.84 lakh voters including 529 persons who were displaced in the Meitei-Kuki conflict in Manipur will cast their votes in Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency on Friday.

On Thursday, Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur, Pradeep Kumar Jha said nine special polling stations have been set up in Ukhrul, Jiribam and Tengnoupal districts for the internally displaced voters. 

Polling for 13 Assembly segments in Outer Manipur constituency—where the Nagas and Kukis are the deciding factors—will be conducted on Friday amid tight security arrangements.

During the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, polling was conducted in 15 assembly segments under the Outer Manipur constituency and in the Meitei-dominated Inner Manipur seat.

The constituencies reported a voter turn out of 75.41 per cent with more than 18,000 internally displaced people casting their vote.

But re-polling had to be conducted in 11 stations in view of firing by armed miscreants, alleged instances of booth capturing and destruction of EVMs.

However, due to the ongoing conflict between Kukis and Meiteis, there is a chance polling will be less in the Kuki-dominated areas. More than 200 people have been killed and over 60,000 others were displaced.

Four candidates, all Nagas, including Alfred K Arthur of Congress and Timothy Zimik of Naga People's Front (NPF) are in the fray in Outer Manipur seat. The NPF candidate is being supported by the BJP and NPP. The NPF candidate had won the seat in 2019. 

Meiteis, Kukis seek investigation

Several organisations representing the Meitei and the Kukis demanded an investigation by NIA into the explosion of IEDs on the National Highway-2 in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district on Wednesday.

The explosions that created three craters on a bridge affected the movement of heavy vehicles between Imphal and Dimapur.

The Co-ordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a forum of Meitei organisation on Wednesday evening alleged that Kukis were involved in the explosion while Kuki Students' Organisation claimed that Meitei armed group Arambai Tenggol carried out the blast in order to create fear among the Kukis.

Both the organisations urged the Centre to order an investigation by a central agency like the NIA to unravel the truth.