Polling for the last phase of the assembly elections is underway in Manipur on Saturday amid Congress party allegations of violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
As many as 92 candidates across 22 assembly constituencies are in the fray. The polling started at 7 a.m. and will continue until 4 p.m. (IST) without any break.
A total of 838,730 voters are eligible to cast their ballots across 1,247 polling stations in six electoral districts -- Thoubal, Jiribam, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati, and Tamenglong.
Voters lining up to exercise their right to vote at Model and Women Managed Polling Station in Manipur's Ukhrul.
© Photo : Twitter/@CeoManipur
Phase 2 poll day scenes from Thoubal Kshetri Leikai Model Polling Station in Manipur
© Photo : Twitter/@CeoManipur
Repolling is also being held at 12 polling stations across five constituencies that went to the polls on 28 February in the first phase.
Poll has started peacefully in all 12 Repoll Polling Stations in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Imphal East
© Photo : Twitter/@CeoManipur
Senior Congress politician and All India Congress Committee (AICC) observer for Manipur Jairam Ramesh on Thursday accused the state BJP government of releasing funds to Kuki militant groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement ahead of the polls to influence the voting.
Ramesh said around INR 170 million ($2,224,388) were released in two tranches – 1 February and 1 March respectively.
“This is a complete violation of the model code of conduct and nothing more than bribery and corruption”, he said.
Ramesh further alleged that this means elections in the Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts in the first phase were not “free and fair”, as the Kuki groups announced support for the BJP, and that payments to SoO groups would influence elections in the Tengnoupal and Chandel districts in the second phase, too.
Responding to the Congress party's allegations, Manipur’s chief electoral officer Rajesh Agrawal said that the state government had not violated the MCC by releasing stipends to militant groups that have declared an SoO.
“Since the beneficiaries were already identified and approved before the announcement of [the] election and enforcement of the MCC, there is no violation of [the] MCC in connection with the Manipur assembly elections”, a release from the office of the chief electoral officer said.
What is Suspension of Operations Agreement?
There are nearly 30 Kuki insurgent groups in Manipur, and 25 groups under the SoO pact with the federal and state government. 17 of them are part of the umbrella Kuki National Organisation (KNO), and eight of the United People’s Front (UPF).
The SoO pact was signed on 22 August 2008, with the primary objective of initiating political dialogue. While the period of the Suspension of Operation agreement is one year, it is extendable.
The important terms under the pact are that security forces, including state and central, as well as underground groups do not launch any operations.
As part of the rehabilitation package, the cadres living in the designated camps are given a monthly stipend of INR 5,000 ($65.42), while financial assistance is also provided to maintain the camps.