Manipur Election 2022: Voting for 38 assembly seats tomorrow; 173 candidates in fray

Manipur Election 2022: Over 20 lakh voters will decide the fate of 173 candidates who are in the fray from the 38 constituencies going to polls in phase 1 of the Manipur assembly election 2022. Of the 173 candidates, 15 are women. The voting for 22 seats will take place in the second phase on March 5 while the counting of votes will be held on March 10. The 38 seats are spread across five districts. Of these, 29 are in valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur while nine seats are spread across Churchandpur, Kangpokpi and Pherzawl.

The Election Commission has said that a total of 2,959 polling stations will be set up for the 60 assembly constituencies. The polling will take place between 7am and 6pm tomorrow. Earlier, voting for phase-1 was slated for February 27 but it was later postponed by a day as the Election Commission reviewed the poll preparedness. There are over 20 lakh voters in the state including 10.49 lakh females and 9.58 lakh males.

As far as the prominent candidates in Manipur Election Phase 1 are concerned, it includes Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Heingang seat N Biren Singh, Assembly Speaker Y Khemchand Singh from the Singjamei seat, Deputy CM and NPP candidate Yumnam Joykumar from the Uripok seat and Manipur Congress president N Lokesh Singh from the Nambol seat. The Moirang constituency will witness a three-cornered fight between BJP, Congress and the National People’s Party. Sitting MLA Pukhrem Sharatchandra Singh, who won on BJP ticket in the last term, is contesting as a Congress candidate this time while former Congress member Mairembam Prithviraj Singh is the BJP candidate, with Thongam Shanti Singh of National People’s Party the third candidate in the fray.

Also Read: Manipur Election 2022 Phase 1: Voting date, time, result date, key candidates, opinion polls, exit poll – All you need to know

The 38 assembly constituencies going to polls in first phase are Khetrigao, Thongju, Andro, Lamlai, Thangmeiband, Khundrakpam, Heingang, Khurai, Keirao, Sagolband, Saikot, Imphal, Keisamthong, Wangkhei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Konthoujam, Langthabal, Naoriya Pakhanglakpa, Wangoi, Mayang, Nambol, Moirang, Thanga, Kumbi, Saikul, Kangpokpi, Yaiskul, Singjamei, Saitu, Tipaimukh, Patsoi, Thanlon, Uripok, Henglep, Churachandpur, Singhat, Bishenpur and Oinam. Of these nine are reserved for STs – Saikot, Sekmai, Saikul, Saitu, Tipaimukh, Thanlon, Henglep, Churachandpur, Singhat.