LATEST Headlines at this hour | 28 Feb 2022

Polling in the first phase of assembly elections in Manipur began at 7 AM on Monday in 38 constituencies spread across five districts with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols. As many as 12,09,439 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect their representatives from among 173 candidates, including 15 women, across 1,721 polling stations. The prominent candidates in the fray include Chief Minister and BJP candidate N Biren Singh, Assembly Speaker Y Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister and NPP candidate Yumnam Joykumar and Manipur Congress president N Lokesh Singh.