NEW DELHI: India will rerun voting in 11 polling places in the northeastern state of Manipur on Monday in the wake of months of ethnic conflict, citing claims of violence and damage to voting machines.
A rerun at 47 polling places in Manipur was demanded by the main opposition Congress party, which claimed that votes had been manipulated and that polling booths had been taken.
However, the chief electoral officer of Manipur announced that election authorities had deemed the voting invalid at the 11 locations and ordered new polls.
It is anticipated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will secure an uncommon third term due to factors including Hindu nationalism.
On Friday, the first day of voting in the state of Manipur, there were reports of clashes between armed groups and efforts to take over polling places under strict security.
Voters showed up in force despite the possibility of armed conflicts, which have claimed the lives of at least 220 individuals in the previous year.
Since May, there has been constant warfare in Manipur between the tribal Kuki-Zo people and the mainstream Meitei people. It is still split between hills dominated by Kuki and a valley under Meiteis authority, with a swath of no-man’s land in between kept under observation by federal paramilitary forces.
