Manipur to have 94 polling stations for internally displaced persons

Imphal: Altogether 94 special polling stations have been identified across Manipur to facilitate voting by internally displaced persons in the ethnic violence-affected state, Chief Electoral Officer PK Jha said on Friday.

A large number of people were forced to leave their homes and stay in relief camps and other places since the strife began in the northeastern state in May last year. Kangpokpi district has the highest number of such special polling stations at 24, followed by Bishnupur (22), Churachandpur (15) and Imphal East (nine).

Of the 94 special polling stations, 85 are meant for the first phase of polling on April 19 and the remaining nine will be in the second phase on April 26.

“We have distributed 17,425 identity forms in relief camps for internally displaced persons. Of them, 9,875 have already been submitted,” the CEO said.