Owing to reports of widespread booth rigging and violence in several parts of the valley on Friday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday issued directions for conducting a fresh poll at 11 polling stations on Monday April 22 from 7 am to 5 pm, while declaring that the poll taken earlier on Friday in respect of the said polling stations of 1-Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency as 'void'.
The direction was issued under Sections 58 (2) and 58A (2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It appealed to all voters of the said polling stations to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise. The CEO Office has received numerous complaints from various political parties, including 36 for Inner Manipur and 11 for Outer Manipur from the INC, as well as from parties such as the BJP, and other independent candidates, all seeking a re-poll.
After scrutinising the various complaints along with the candidates and their representatives under the respective Returning Officers, the decision to conduct a repoll in 11 polling stations was taken by the Election Commission of India. Earlier, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manipur had sought fresh polls at six polling stations on the basis of reports filed by Presiding Officers regarding incidents of mob violence, riots, and vandalism.
Although there were scattered reports of violence and intimidation in several parts of the valley, the major flashpoints of violence were in Thongju, Kshetrigao, Konthoujam, Uripok and Khurai assembly constituencies. Interestingly, all five constituencies are represented by either BJP or allied party MLAs including three ministers. On the other hand, the voting percentage was uncommonly high in the chief minister’s constituency although it was peaceful.
In most of the polling stations where repoll was announced, the common story was of armed miscreants dressed in black (MIB) intimidating non-BJP polling agents and booth capturing followed by mob violence and destroying of EVMs by irate public. Under Khurai constituency, an elderly voter was injured by bullets fired by fleeing MIBs who were chased by irate public at Moirangkampu Sajeb and three persons were arrested by police along with arms from a nearby farmhouse.
Thongju was another constituency where intimidation and mob violence took place in some polling stations. And polling resumed in one of the polling stations in Thongju with the minister himself present till late hours of the night despite protests. However, repoll was ordered for only one polling station here. In Kshetrigao constituency, repoll has been ordered in four polling stations. The constituency is represented by NPP which supports the BJP led government.
In Uripok constituency represented by BJP, repoll has been ordered in three polling stations located in the general area of Iroishemba. Here also, the complaint was about booth capturing by MIBs and mob violence afterwards. In Keirao constituency also represented by BJP, a polling agent of Congress was beaten up and his wife allegedly strangled by MIBs when she tried to stop them from abducting her husband.
Well, the Election Commission does have its own procedure and parameters in deciding a repoll and it also includes proper examination of the complaints received and the reports from the concerned Presiding Officers. But, in most cases the complainants are always unsatisfied and questions of partiality to the ruling regime are always raised. In valley areas of Manipur, widespread booth-rigging was rather uncommon although it was quite high in the hill areas in past elections.
And 2024 parliamentary elections would be remembered for large-scale booth rigging in the valley. The question here is, who is really responsible for security in polling stations and environmental security around the polling stations. Although the state forces and central paramilitary forces are respectively under the state Home department and the Union Home Ministry they function under the orders of the Election Commission during elections. There are instances of ECI ordering replacement of police officers including the DGP. Ultimately, it is the ECI and officials deputed to the Commission who is responsible for ensuring free and fair elections. Be it MIBs or goons, the Commission is duty bound to protect the voters in exercise of their voting rights.
