6500 personnel, 3000 policemen: Mizoram prepares for Lok Sabha elections
Mizoram is preparing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with increased security measures and polling staff, a senior election official said on Monday. The northeastern state plans to deploy over 6,500 polling personnel, more than 3,000 policemen, and 12 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to ensure smooth voting. The election for Mizoram's single Lok Sabha seat is scheduled for this coming Friday.
Why does this story matter?
Mizoram's single Lok Sabha seat is pivotal in gauging the region's political support. The 2019 Lok Sabha election in the state saw a closely contested battle, with the Mizo National Front (MNF) securing victory in the lone parliamentary constituency. In the December 2023 assembly elections, the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) emerged victorious in the assembly elections bagging 27 seats.
Chief Electoral Officer confirms readiness for polls
Mizoram's Chief Electoral Officer Madhup Vyas has confirmed that the state is fully prepared for the upcoming elections. "All arrangements are complete and we have also commissioned the EVMs. We are ready for the polls," he stated. The large team of polling personnel has already undergone two training sessions, with a final one scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. He highlighted that there are 14 vulnerable polling stations and five critical ones, primarily situated along inter-state border and international border areas.
Over 8,56,000 voters for 1 seat
Vyas revealed that the staff assigned to the 168 polling stations will be dispatched to their respective locations on Wednesday, with the remaining personnel sent out on Thursday. The security detail comprises seven companies of Central Reserve Police Force, three companies of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, two companies of Border Security Force, and over 3,000 local policemen. The voter base for the upcoming elections comprises over 8,56,000 voters, including approximately 440,000 women voters.
Mizoram establishes over 1,200 polling stations
Six candidates from various political parties, including ZPM, MNF, Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are contesting for the sole seat. One independent candidate is also running for the highly contested seat. For the purpose, Mizoram has established 1,276 polling stations and four auxiliary ones across the state for the upcoming elections. Of these stations, 751 are located in rural areas while 525 are in urban regions.
