Aizawl/New Delhi: Balloting to elect a new government in the northeastern border state of Mizoram ended peacefully yesterday, with over 81 percent of voters exercising their franchise, officials said.
“Over 81 percent of the total 690,860 voters cast their ballot across the state,” said Mawia, the joint chief electoral officer of Mizoram.
In the last assembly elections of December 2008, the polling percentage was 80.02 percent. The voting percentage of men voters was 78.77 percent while 81.24 percent women cast their votes last time.
In New Delhi, Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi confirmed the figure.
“Polling was brisk and peaceful. No untoward incident was reported,” Zutshi said.
According to the election officials, this time also the percentage of votes cast by women voters was expected to be higher than men.
“Voting passed off peacefully, with not even a small incident reported from anywhere in the state,” an official said over phone.
Long lines formed in front of polling booths even before the 7am opening time of the polling process, and many voters were seen waiting in queues to cast their votes even after the scheduled closing time of 4pm.
The ballots will be counted on December 9.
The poll will decide the fate of 142 candidates, including six women and many independents.
Political parties expressed happiness over the heavy turnout of voters and the peaceful elections.
The main poll battle is between the ruling Congress and opposition coalition Mizoram Democratic Alliance, comprising Mizo National Front (MNF), Mizoram People’s Conference and Maraland Democratic Front, all regional and local parties.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has little base in the state, Zoram Nationalist Party and the Nationalist Congress Party are also separately contesting the elections, fielding candidates in many seats.
Of the 40 assembly seats, 39 are reserved for tribals. One seat is for the general category.
With a population of 10.91 lakh, Mizoram is the only state in India where women voters outnumber men by 9,806. There are 350,333 women voters against 340,527 males.
Altogether 1,126 polling stations were set up across the state for the elections.
A newly-designed device — Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), which confirms to a voter that his or her vote was cast as wished — was “used in 10 of the 40 assembly segments of Mizoram”, an election official said.
This is the first time this device has been used in any general election in the country.
Yesterday’s vote will decide the political fortune of Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, his 11 cabinet colleagues, Mizoram Women’s Congress chief Tlangthanmawii and former chief minister and MNF president Zoramthanga.
Lal Thanhawla, also state Congress chief, is contesting from two constituencies -Serchhip, his home turf, and neighbouring Hrangturzo - and opposition MNF chief Zoramthanga is trying his electoral fortunes from Tuipui East, bordering Myanmar.
During the last assembly elections of December 2008, the Congress won 32 seats, the MNF three and the MDF one. The MPC and ZNP got two seats each.
IANS
