92 per cent of voters in Mizoram have EPIC

Aizawl, April 6 : Aizawl Deputy Commissioner C Thanchhuma today said 92.09 per cent of the voters in Mizoram electoral photo identity card (EPIC) against the national average of about 80 per cent.

Speaking at the meeting of poll officials here, Mr Thanchhuma, also the District Election Officer, informed that such figure was assessed at 95.03 per cent in Aizawl district having 14 constituencies.

"'The percentage is likely to improve," the Deputy Commissioner said.

Mr Thanchhuma also stated that all-out efforts were being taken to ensure smooth and peaceful polls in the state even as the electronic voting machines had been crosschecked with computers to ensure their accountability. "'The polling stations, to which the EVMs are assigned, will be notified two days before the polling date, that is April 16," he said. A team of seven experts had already given a first phase training to the polling staff yesterday and today, while the second phase training would commence on April 8 and 9.

Four candidates — C L Ruala of Congress, H Lallungmuana of Mizo National Front-Mizoram Peoples Conference, Lalawmpuia Chhangte of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Rualpawla of Israel National Front - are in the fray for the April 16 Parliamentary polls. The Congress last won the Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram in 1996, when party veteran C Silvera bagged the seat by defeating the MNF nominee by a margin of 14,481 votes. Silvera became the first Union Minister from Mizoram.

The MNF-MPC candidate, Lallungmuana, was a former MP from Mizoram who defeated then ruling Congress candidate J Lalsangzuala in the 1998 general elections.

Unlike most other Indian states, women voters outnumber men in Mizoram with 318,150 women voters against 311,005 male electorate. (Agencies)