The Hindu : National : 80 per cent polling in Manipur

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Saturday, Feb 24, 2007
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National

National

80 per cent polling in Manipur

Iboyaima Laithangbam

Firings by insurgents and kidnapping of polling agents mar final phase

IMPHAL: Eighty per cent polling was recorded in the third and final phase of the Manipur Assembly elections on Friday, official sources said.

There was brisk to heavy polling in all the four districts.

However, the final figure on poll percentage will be known only after three days. There were many reports of firings by insurgents and kidnapping of polling agents.

Official reports said armed insurgents raided at least two polling stations in Chandel constituency and whisked away polling agents of all candidates except that of Francis Huten, an Independent candidate, who is sponsored by the United Naga Council.

Some armed persons also fired shots in the air. Voters turned up at the Longpi polling station in Tamei constituency only after additional security forces arrived.

There were long queues in all the three constituencies in Tamenglong district, notwithstanding the "curfew" imposed by the NSCN(IM) and the ban on elections declared by the NSCN(K).

Election officials said that initially no voter came to the Khenjang Junior High School polling station in Tamei constituency following the call by the NSCN(IM) and the NSCN(K) to boycott the elections.

However, the polling picked up after senior police officers and additional security forces rushed there.Official reports said there were some instances of firing by the militants, disrupting voting in Tamenglong district.

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