Aizawl: Seventy-five per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the Chalfilh Assembly seat in Mizoram on Saturday, a senior poll official said. Joint chief electoral officer H Lalengmawia said that the final figure on the voter turnout would be available only after all polling parties, who were leaving the constituency on Saturday night , arrived here. Polling was peaceful, he said.
Counting of votes will be held on February 28. Seven candidates — Dr Ngurdingliana of the ruling Congress, Lalvenhima Hmar of the Mizo National Front, Lalhmangaiha Sailo of the Mizoram People’s Conference, C Lalchhandama of the Zoram Nationalist Party, C Ramkinlova of the BJP, D K Thanga of the Lok Janshakti Party and lone independent candidate R Lalrohlua — are in the poll fray.
The bypoll was necessitated after sitting Congress legislator Chawngtinthanga passed away on September 16 last year.
There are 17,054 voters in Chalfilh assembly segment in Aizawl district.
The EVMs will be put in strong room in Aizawl till February 28 when counting of votes will begin.
Aizawl superintendent of police L R Dingliana said that the by-election was held peacefully without any untoward incident reported from any polling station. Of the 29 polling stations, 13 were declared sensitive in view of possible threats from the outlawed Hmar People’s Convention-Democratic (HPC-D), which has been demanding large part of northeastern Mizoram including Chalfilh segment for the Hmar autonomy.
The Congress party presently enjoys comfortable majority in the 40-assembly seat with 31 seats. (PTI)
