67% polling registered in first phase of polls

Imphal (Manipur): Around 67.53 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of the Assembly polls in Manipur as of 3 pm on Monday.

Sporadic incidents of violence were registered which further delayed the polling process. As a result, the state Election Commission has also decided the repoll in Keithelmanbi, where clashes between Congress and BJP supporters vandalised a booth and broke an EVM machine.

The damaged EVM was later replaced. 

A Manipur Police personnel, who was on poll duty on Monday, was killed in a "suspected case of accidental firing" from his service rifle during the first phase of assembly elections to 38 seats in the northeastern state, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajesh Agarwal informed PTI. 

As many as 173 candidates are in the fray with 12,09,439 voters expected to exercise their franchise. 

The key candidates whose fates would be decided today include Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is contesting from Heingang, speaker Y Khemchand Singh from Singjamei, Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh from Uripok, and state Congress chief N Lokesh Singh from Nambol. (With agency inputs)