Mizoram gears up for LS polls, 97% adults in voters’ list     

Aizawl: In Mizoram, there are altogether 7,84,405 electorates, including 4,02,408 female voters according to final roll published by the Election Commission on Friday, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ashish Kundra said.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference here, Kundra said 97 per cent of adults, who have attained the age of 18 years, have enrolled in the voters’ list. He said that female voters outnumbered their male counterpart by 20,417.

Kundra mentioned that special summary revision was conducted from December last year using January 1, 2019 as the qualifying date during which 14,032 new voters were enrolled.

As per the latest roll, Aizawl district with 14 assembly constituencies has the highest number of voters among eight districts at 2,94,766 followed by Lunglei district at 1,06,627. There are 7 assembly constituencies in Lunglei district. Siaha district in the southern part of the state has the least electorates at 39,539.

• 7,84,405 electorates, including 4,02,408 female voters in electoral roll
• 97 per cent adults in voter list
• Female voters outnumbered male counterpart by 20,417
• For the first third gender officially recognized in the electoral rolls in Mizoram
• A total of 6 voters identified for the category
• Aizawl district with highest number of voters at 2,94,766
• EC to set up 11 new polling stations in addition to the existing 1,164
• All deputy commissioners to undergo special training
• Polling stations are likely to be set up at Kanhmun village for Bru voters

The election commission also set up 11 new polling stations in addition to the existing 1,164.

For the first time in Mizoram, third gender (transgender) has been officially recognised in the electoral rolls with six voters identified for the category who were earlier clubbed under ‘others’ in the voter list.

The CEO said that the enrolment of voters would be a continual process till the last date of withdrawal of nominations before the elections.

He said that a two-day special camp will be organised across the state on 2 and 3 March to include all the eligible voters.

According to Kundra, preparations for the upcoming 17th Lok Sabha elections and by-election to Aizawl West-I are underway in the state.

He said that he would convene a conference of deputy commissioners of all the eight districts on next Monday to kick start the process of election preparedness for the upcoming polls.

“We will be doing comprehensive review to take stock of preparedness for the parliament election,” he said, adding an all-party meeting will also be convened on Tuesday (26 February) to brief them the various steps taken up by the election machinery and also process and preparation for the general elections.

In his interaction with media, Kundra said that special training programme for all deputy commissioners will be held between 26 and 28 February.

Apart from this the Election Commission will also give special training on new software for EVM tracking, he said.

As regard Bru voters, Kundra said polling stations are likely to be set up at Kanhmun village on Mizoram-Tripura border like it was during state assembly polls last year though the EC is yet to make final decision.