73 Candidates In Fray For Chakma District Council Polls in Mizoram
The Mizo National Front (MNF), BJP and Congress have fielded 20 candidates each, while the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) named 13 nominees.
A total of 73 candidates have filed their nominations for the upcoming Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) elections in in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district, an official told PTI. Lawngtlai Additional Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Abraham Beirazi Khithie said 73 candidates will contest the elections after an independent nominee withdrew nomination on Wednesday. The Mizo National Front (MNF), BJP and Congress have fielded 20 candidates each, while the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) named 13 nominees.
The last day to withdraw the candidature was Thursday.
About 35,885 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the poll and there are 70 polling stations within the Chakma council. Chakmas are Buddhists and are the largest religious minority in the state.
Polling for the 20-member district council will be held on May 9 and the counting of votes will take place on May 11.
The CADC was created under the sixth schedule of the Constitution in 1972 for the welfare of the Chakma tribal people in Mizoram.
ALSO READ: Covid Dip Continues As India Logs 7,533 New Cases In Last 24 Hours
The council has 24 constituencies, of which four are nominated seats.
The last council polls held in April 2018 threw up a hung house with the MNF emerging as the single-largest party by winning eight seats, while the Congress bagged six and the BJP won five seats.
Later, the Congress’s tally increased to seven after it won a constituency, which was countermanded at the time of the elections.
The council came under a complete MNF rule before the governor’s rule was imposed in the council area in December last year due to political instability. The council is not bound by anti-defection law.
Meanwhile, last week, the BJP swept the election to the Village Councils (VCs) under Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) in Mizoram by winning majority seats in 41 of the 99 VCs. Mizoram State Election Commission (MSEC) officials said that the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) secured majority in 25 VCs while the Congress and the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) got majority in eight and two respectively.
Independent candidates won one VC while there is no clear majority in 22 VCs, equivalent to Gram Panchayats in other states and outside the Autonomous District Council areas.
According to the MSEC, of the total 492 village council seats, the BJP won 232 seats, which included 47 seats reserved for women.
Top Headlines
