Mizoram Elections: Nearly 75% turnout recorded

Polling in the 40-member Legislative Assembly of Mizoram began at 7 am on Wednesday and will end at 4 pm and voters will decide the fate of 209 candidates. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla is contesting from two seats — Serchhip and Champhai South. A total of 209 candidates are in fray and the fate of the candidates would be decided by 7,70,395 voters, which include 3,94,897 women. This poll is expected to see voting by nearly 11,000 Bru voters, living in six relief camps in Tripura. 

Altogether, 47 of 1,179 polling booths have been classified as ‘critical’ and as many as ‘vulnerable’ by the Election Commission. The election office sources said 40 companies of the central armed police force in addition to the state police force have been deployed to ensure free and fair polls. Each constituency has one polling booth exclusively for women voters, manned by women polling and security personnel. These booths have been named after a flower called ‘Dingdi’.

While the Congress and Mizo National Front are in a direct contest, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), National People’s Party and Zoram People’s Movement could play crucial roles in the next government formation. 

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