Mizorams first repoll clocks 78

Mizoram saw the first repoll in its electoral history Thursday,with Republic 1 polling station in Aizawl South 1 constituency registering a turnout of 869 voters out of 1,104 registered,or 78.71 per cent.

The Election Commission had ordered a repoll at this polling station after a polling officer,Vicky Lalnunthara,was arrested for instructing voters to press the third button on the EVM,a slot allotted to Congress candidate Vanlalvena. An analysis later had also found discrepancies in the number of votes,entries in form 17A and the number of voter slips collected.

Meanwhile,Aizawl DEO Dr Franklin Laltinkhuma and election officials opened the strong room at Pachhunga University College on Thursday morning to recheck an EVM after the presiding officer of Sihphir,within the Aizawl East 1 constituency,admitted Wednesday that he had forgotten to erase the mock-poll entries and proceeded with normal voting. The discrepancy is being sorted out with records from a paper audit trail.