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Aizawl, Nov 14 (IANS) Counting of votes for Dampa assembly by-election, for which elections were held on November 11, began at 8 am on Friday under tight security arrangements.
Mamit district election officer Lalnunphela Chawangthu said postal ballots would be counted first, followed by votes cast in EVMs (electronic voting machines), and five rounds of counting would take place at the Mamit district headquarters.
The votes will be counted in only one counting hall where nine counting tables, including one for postal ballots, have been installed. Each counting table will be supervised and monitored by one counting supervisor and two counting assistants.
Central observers appointed by the Election Commission will keep an eye on the vote counting process.
The by-election for Dampa Assembly seat was held peacefully on November 11, with 83.07 per cent of the 20,790 eligible voters, including 10,185 women, exercising their franchise in the by-election. The by-election was necessitated after the death of opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) MLA Lalrintluanga Selo on July 21.
Five candidates from the ruling and opposition parties had contested the crucial by-election.
The ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has fielded Mizo singer and preacher Vanlalsailova, while the MNF has fielded its vice-president and former health minister R. Lalthangliana has been named. The Congress has fielded its state vice president and former transport minister John Rotluangliana, while the BJP has fielded Lalmingthanga.
People’s Conference, the party of former Chief Minister Brigadier T. Selo, appointed its Vice President K. Zhammingthanga has been fielded.
The assembly constituency, which shares an unfenced border with Bangladesh and an inter-state border with Tripura, has a sizeable minority population, including members of the Chakma and Reang tribal communities.
The Dampa assembly bypoll is considered an acid test for Chief Minister Lalduhoma-led ruling ZPM as its results are likely to influence the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) elections to be held on December 3 and the Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections later this year.
A victory in the by-elections will boost ZPM’s morale amid growing criticism from opposition parties, especially the main opposition MNF. This by-election is very important for the MNF, because with its defeat, its strength in the 40-member assembly will reduce to nine and its claim to the post of Leader of the Opposition will be in jeopardy. Any party needs at least 10 MLAs to hold the Leader of Opposition post, and the MNF currently has nine MLAs following the death of Lalrintluanga Selo on July 21.
With two MLAs in the House, the BJP, which is attempting to expand its base in the Christian-majority border state, is contesting the seat with a mixed population to strengthen its hold.
–IANS
SC/DPB