Imphal (Manipur) [India], April 19 : Voting for the Lok Sabha at 5 Thongju, 31 Khongman zones of Imphal was stopped after some women alleged irregularities in the polling process and created a ruckus.
With events taking a chaotic turn all of a sudden, the polling officer ordered the closure of the booths in question and reported the matter to the district collector of Imphal East.
According to officials, polling was stopped in a total of five booths--two in East Imphal and 3 in the West--after some women erupted in protests over alleged irregularities.
The Northeast state has been in the throes of ethnic strife and violence for close to a year. The majority Meiteis, who inhabit the valleys and plains of the Northeast state, and the Kukis who live in the higher reaches, fell into internecine clashes and violence after the Manipur High Court directed the state government to consider the possibility of enlisting the former as a Scheduled Tribe.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh arrived to cast his vote at a polling booth in Luwangsangbam Mamang Leikai, in Imphal East, amid voting for the ongoing first phase of elections.
Polling started at 7 am on Friday and will continue until 4 pm. All 32 assembly segments of the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency and 15 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constituency are polling for the Lok Sabha presently.
A total of 15,44,652 voters, including 7,41,849 men, 8,02,557 women, and 246 people from the transgender community are exercising their franchise across the country in Phase 1 of polling, according to an official release.
Voting is being conducted across 2107 polling stations, according to officials.
Significantly, as many as 645 polling stations in the first phase were being managed by all-women polling personnel, while two were managed exclusively by Persons with Disabilities (PwD).