Aizawl: Mizoram is all set to vote in the assembly polls today as over 8.57 lakh voters gear up to decide the electoral fate of 174 candidates, amid tight security arrangements put in place.
Voting will begin in all 1,276 polling stations across Mizoram at 7 am and continue till 4 pm, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Madhup Vyas said. The votes will be counted on December 3. Of these, 149 are remote polling stations, while 30 voting centres along the inter-state and international borders have been declared critical and vulnerable, another senior official said.
Mizoram has a tradition of conducting the most peaceful elections in the country. We hope to maintain that, Vyas said. He said the 510-km-long international border with Myanmar and 318-km boundary with Bangladesh have been sealed ahead of polling for the 40-member Mizoram assembly. Assam Rifles is managing the Myanmar border, while BSF is in charge of the international border with Bangladesh.
Besides, the inter-state boundaries with three districts of Assam, two with Manipur and one with Tripura have also been closed. Most polling personnel carrying EVMs have already reached their respective booths, Vyas said. We have adequate spare EVMs and enough engineers to take care of technical glitches. The law and order situation is also being constantly monitored, he said.
A total of 174 candidates, including 18 women, are in the fray. The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), main opposition party Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and Congress have fielded 40 candidates each. The BJP and debutant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are contesting in 23 and 4 seats, respectively.
There are 27 candidates, who are contesting as independents. Altogether, 8,57,063 electorate, including 4,39,026 female voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the Mizoram assembly polls.
Security beefed up across Mizoram
Security was beefed up across Mizoram and at the international borders in the state ahead of polling for the assembly elections on Tuesday, officials said. Extensive security arrangements have been made and the state's borders have been sealed in view of the polling, Inspector-General of Police (Headquarters) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said.
A total of 7,200 security personnel have been deployed across the state to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections, he said. "In all, 1,831 police officers from Mizoram, along with 2,527 Special Armed Police Force (SAPF) personnel and 2,700 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel have been deployed across the state," he added.
Besides, 160 personnel of the Mizoram Reserved Home Guards have also been deployed for election duty, Khiangte said. The state has international borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, and shares inter-state borders with Assam, Tripura and Manipur. "No untoward incidents have been reported during the campaign, which witnessed a large number of VVIPs visiting the state. This peaceful environment reflects Mizoram's commitment to upholding democratic values and ensuring a fair electoral process," the state police said in a statement on Monday.
Urging the people to continue maintaining peace during the polling, the police said that it is committed to ensuring a "secure and safe" electoral process. "We are dedicated to upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of every citizen. Our officers will be deployed throughout the state, working in coordination with other security agencies to maintain peace and order on the day of the elections," the statement said. (With agency inputs)
