Manipur youth platform flags ‘normalisation’ of gun culture during Assembly election

Much less violent 2017 election had repoll in 62 centres compared to 19 this time, it said

IMPHAL

A youth platform in Manipur has said the normalisation of gun culture during the two-phase State polls was a worrisome trend.

The Youth Collective Manipur (YCM) was also critical of the Election Commission for ordering re-election in “only 19” polling stations this time when the “much less violent” 2017 election witnessed repolling in 62 stations.

The YCM documented 78 poll-related incidents of violence that claimed seven lives. The incidents were reported during the campaign and on the two days of voting – February 28 and March 5.

“So far, there are no reports of the authorities taking appropriate action against most of the electoral misconduct, including those that occurred at many polling stations on election day,” Thongam Zingo, the coordinator of YCM’s People’s Election Monitoring cell, said on Friday.

The misconduct included threat and intimidation by party agents, manipulation and destruction of EVMs, proxy voting and booth-capturing, the YCM said.

It added that the parameters for repoll in a few selected polling stations had not been made public by the Election Commission.