Mizoram, Aizawl: 71 per cent of over 4.4 lakh voters cast their votes in Mizoram‘s village council (VC) polls and 64 per cent turnout was recorded in the local council (LC) polls held on Wednesday, an official said.
Polling for 110 LCs within two urban local bodies and 534 VCs across nine districts, excluding three autonomous district councils in two districts, has ended peacefully.
The official said the voting percentage could increase as detailed reports await.
He said there was no law and order issue or technical problem during the voting, which ended at 4 pm on Wednesday.
There are 544 VCs in nine districts and 111 LCs within the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the newly created Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC).
Of the 544 VCs and 111 LCs, polling for a 3-member Lalnutui VC in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district and a 7-member Lawipu LC within AMC has been rescheduled on Thursday and Friday respectively due to the death of candidates, the official said.
Besides, elections were not held in 9 VCs from 7 districts as all candidates, the majority of whom belonged to the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) were declared elected unopposed, he said.
According to the State Election Commission (SEC), there are 4,41,431 voters, including 2,24,089 female electors, in 544 VCs, while there are 2,03,837, including 1,09,555 women voters in 111 LCs.
There are 2,416 seats in 544 VCs of which 613 seats are reserved for women, it said.
Additionally, there are 575 seats, including 157 seats reserved for women, in 87 local councils within AMC and 148 seats in 24 LCs within LMC, out of which 38 seats are reserved for women, it said.
A single VC or LC usually has 3 to 7 members.
A total of 6,828 candidates have contested the village council polls, of which 1,651 candidates were vying for 613 seats reserved for women, the SEC said.
Besides, 2,076 candidates were in the fray for 111 LC polls out of which 556 nominees were competing for 195 seats reserved for women, it said.
Counting of votes is going on and the ruling ZPM has so far bagged 260 seats and opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) secured 141 seats and Congress 78 in the VC polls.
In the LC polls, ZPM has so far bagged 3 seats.
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