Women voters could play an important role in the first phase 12th Manipur Assembly elections scheduled on February 28, particularly in 10-Uripok Assembly constituency, where Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh is in fray.
“Women voters outnumber men voters in 10-Uripok Assembly constituency, Women could play an important role in the upcoming February 28 poll in the constituency,” returning officer (RO) Nimmi Azingwungshi Khamrang said.
Urging women to come out in huge numbers to exercise their voting rights, the RO said women voters should come forward and ensure free, fair and peaceful voting in the constituency to strengthen the “festival of democracy”.
Despite being an urban constituency, voter turnout in Uripok AC, in the past elections, have been unsatisfactory, she said, adding, “This time the voter turnout could be higher considering the increasing trend of women’s participation in the electoral process”.
Voter turnout in Uripok AC in the 2017 Assembly election was 83.93 per cent, Khamrang said.
The Uripok constituency has 25,583 electors of which, 13,713 are female and 11,865 are male. There are five members of transgender and three 100+ years old electors, 426 electors who are of 80+ years and 206 PWD (People with disabilities) electors in the constituency.
A total of 229 electors, including 199 Absentee Voters, in the category of Senior Citizens (AVSC) and 30 Absentee Voters in the category of PwDs (AVPD) will exercise their franchise through Postal Ballot (12D) for Absentee Voters.
Two polling stations in the Constituency, 10/20-Ibotonsana Girls Higher Secondary School (Northern Wing) and 10/21-Ibotonsana Girls Higher Secondary School (Southern Wing) have been identified as Women Polling Stations cum Model Polling Stations.
10/25-Uripok Bachaspati Leikai with 1,119 electors has the highest number of electors and 10/19-Uripok Yambem Leikai with just 387 electors is the polling station with the lowest electors in the constituency.
A total of 160 polling officials will be utilised in the 35 polling stations of the constituency, which are divided into three sectors with one Sector Officer controlling a sector each, the RO said.
As of date, 94.52 per cent of the electors in the constituency have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 87.89 per cent received the second dose.
The deputy CM, who is also sitting MLA of the Nationalist People’s Party (NPP) along with three others are in fray for 10-Uripok AC seat. The other three are Khwairakpam Raghumani Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nunglepam Mahananda Singh of the Indian National Congress (INC) and Khombongmayum Suresh Singh of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U).
In the first State Legislative Election in 1972, Moirangthem Meghachandra of Communist Party of India became the first Member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from the Uripok AC by defeating Khaidem Rajmani of the Indian National Congress. Meghachandra retained the seat in the 1974 election.
In the next election in 1980, Independent candidate Paonam Achou Singh defeated L Raghumani of the Janata Party (JNP) to win the Uripok seat. Paonam Achou Singh fought the 1984 election with an Indian National Congress ticket and won the seat.
However, in 1990, Paonam Achou contesting on an Indian Congress (Socialist-Sarat Chandra Sinha) party ticket lost to Takhellambam Gunadhwaja Singh of the INC.
In 1995, Manipur People’s Party candidate Nameirakpam Nodiachand Singh defeated Laishram Nandakumar Singh of Federal Party of Manipur (FPM).
In the 7th State Legislative Election, 2000, Paonam Achou returned with Manipur State Congress Party ticket to defeat Laishram Nandakumar Singh of FPM and regained the Uripok seat. Two years later in the 8th Manipur Assembly election, Laishram Nandakumar Singh, contesting on an INC ticket, defeated the then sitting MLA P Achou of the FPM.
In 2007, Nandakumar retained the seat defeating his rival Achou who fought the election on MPP ticket. Nadakumar completed his hat-trick of wins by defeating Independent candidate N Dwijamani Singh in the 10th Assembly election, 2012.
Five years later, in the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2017, former IPS officer-turned politician Yumnam Joykumar Singh defeated the then sitting MLA Laishram Nadakumar of INC.
It may be mentioned that other than Nameirakpam Nodiachand, who was elected in 1995, every other elected member from the 10-Uripok AC have been ministers in the State cabinet.
