EC orders repoll in nine Manipur assembly seats

New Delhi: Amid reports of irregularities in the 28 January Manipur assembly polls, the Election Commission today ordered repoll in 67 polling stations of nine assembly constituencies in the state on 4 March.The repoll has been ordered after taking into account reports of returning officers for repoll in certain polling stations and after declaring the 28 January polls in the said areas as void.[caption id="attachment_229790" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="Manipur prepares for repoll. PTI"][/caption]"...on the basis of the said reports and after taking all material circumstances into account, the Commission hereby declares, under sub-section (2) of Section 58 of the Representation of People Act, 1951" that the poll taken on January 28 at said polling stations "to be void and appoints 4th March, 2012 (Sunday) as the date and fixes the hours from 7 AM to 3 PM for taking fresh poll..," an EC order said. The nine assembly constituencies in Manipur where repoll has been ordered in 67 polling stations are Chandel, Tengnoupal, Chingai, Saikul, Karong, Mao, Tadubi, Tamei and Singhat (all ST seats).The repoll order comes two days after various opposition parties from the Congress-ruled state had complained to the EC about alleged poll malpractices including proxy voting. Barring Congress, all opposition parties in Manipur, including BJP, NCP, CPI, CPM, JD-U, MSCP, Manipur People's Party, National People's Party and Manipur unit of Trinamool Congress came together on the issue of alleged poll irregularities and had met top officials of the EC on Monday.PTI