Imphal: Intensive SVEEP Awareness Campaign has been taken up in the 12-Keishamthong AC, particularly in 12/12 Ramlalpaul Higher Secondary School (Northern Wing), with an aim to increase voter turnout, said Returning Officer Pangambam Yaitongba adding that the Polling Station has been identified as part of the Mission 300-SVEEP Plan of the CEO, Manipur.
Under this Mission, 300 Polling Stations with the lowest voter turn-out in the 2017 State Assembly election from across the state were identified with the aim to improve voter turn-out in the ensuing 2022 General election.
Yaitongba said the 12-Keishamthong AC recorded 85.98 percent voter turnout in the 2017 general election. He said 12/12-Ramlalpaul Higher Secondary School (N/W) recorded a voter turnout of 79.77 in the 2017 State Assembly election.
Highlighting steps being taken up under the mission to increase voter turn-out, the RO highlighted that SVEEP Awareness campaign through BLOs, intensive House to House SVEEP campaign, interaction with local clubs, meira paibis, young voters as part of confidence-building measures, and SVEEP campaign through social media have been taken up.
He continued that 12/12-Ramlalpaul Higher Secondary School (N/W) has also been set up as Model Polling Station to encourage more voters to exercise their votes. Sector Officers also make regular visits as part of the confidence-building measures to motivate voters.
12-Keishamthong Assembly Constituency has 27,747 electors with 14,826 females, 12,616 males and 5 Transgenders, Returning Officer Yaitongba Loitongbam adding that the constituency also has one elector above the age of 100 and 622 electors above the age of 80. There are 233 PwDs.
There are altogether 355 Absentee Voters who opted for Postal Ballot and found eligible in the constituency including 324 AV for Senior Citizens, 29 AV for PwD and 2 AV for Essential Services.
12/8 Konjeng Hazari Leikai has the highest number of electors with 1014 electors and 12/16-Keishamthong Hodam Leirak with just 332 electors is the Polling Station with the lowest electors.
Keishamthong AC also has two model cum Women Polling Stations. They are 12/12-Ramlalpaul Higher Secondary School (Northern Wing) and 12/13 Ramlalpaul Higher Secondary School (Southern Wing).
200 polling officials will be utilised for the 40 polling stations, said the RO.
Yaitongba said the constituency has achieved 94 percent of COVID first dose vaccination and 86 percent second dose vaccination.
12-Keishamthong AC has five intending candidates Aribam Pramodini Devi of the Indian National Congress, Elangbam Samuel Johnson of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Langpoklakpam Jayanta Kumar Singh of the National People’s Party, Maheshwar Thounaojam of the Republican Party of India and Independent candidate Nishikant Sapam.
In the 1st State Legislative Elections, 1972, Independent candidate Laishram Manaobi defeated another Independent candidate Langpoklakpam Bheigyachandra Singh to become the Member of Legislative Assembly from Keishamthong AC.
In the next election in 1974, Laishram Manaobi, who contested the election on Manipur Peoples’ Party ticket, was defeated by RK Ranbir Singh of the Indian National Congress.
Laishram Manaobi contested again on a MPP ticket in 1980 and defeated Pukhrambam Shyamkishore of the INC (U).
In 1984, INC candidate Laisom Lalit defeated RK Ranbir, who contested on Janata Party ticket, however in the 1990 Assembly elections, RK Ranbir, contesting on MPP ticket, returned the favour and defeated INC’s Lalit.
RK Ranbir defeated Lalit for the second time in the 1995 Manipur Legislative Assembly Elections to retain the seat.
In 2000, Langpoklakpam Bhagyachandra Singh of the Federal Party Manipur defeated BJP’s Mayengbam Ibotombi Singh. However, due to Bhagyachandra’s sudden demise in 2000, bye-poll to the 12-Keishamthong AC was held the same year. In the bye-poll, Bhagyachandra’s son L Jayanta Kumar Singh of FPM defeated L Lalit Singh of the MSCP.
In the next State Assembly Election in 2002, FPM’s L Ibomcha Singh defeated the sitting MLA Jayanta Kumar, who contested on an INC ticket.
In the 9th General Elections to the Manipur Legislative Assembly, 2007, Jayanta Kumar returned as INC candidate to defeat Laisom Ibomcha, who contested as the MPP candidate. Laisom Ibomcha contested on a Nationalist Congress Party ticket in 2012 to defeat sitting MLA and INC candidate Jayanta Kumar.
Langpoklakpam Jayanta Kumar Singh, who contested the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election in 2017 as the NPP candidate, defeated INC’s sitting MLA Laisom Ibomcha Singh.
