2013 Mizoram Assembly Election Nov 25,2013

Election Commission of India(ECI) Notifies Election Dates for 5 States Friday Oct 5,2013

The Election Commission of India(ECI)announced on Friday Oct 5,2013 that the polls to the Assemblies in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram will be held between November 11 and December 4,2013 and Counting of votes will be taken up on December 8,2013

Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath told journalists here that as per the Supreme Court direction, a ‘None of the Above’ button (the option of rejecting all candidates) would be provided in electronic voting machines in the polls

Assembly Election Schedule

• Chhattisgarh(90 Seats) in two phases on November 11 and 19,2013
• Madhya Pradesh(230 Seats) on November 25,2013
• Rajasthan(200 Seats) on December 01,2013
• Delhi(70 Seats) on December 04,2013
• Mizoram(40 Seats) on December 04,2013

Over 11.60 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise

 













Political Parties Position in the Outgoing Assembly

Indian National Congress                       32 Seats
Mizo National Front                               03 Seats
MPC                                                     02 Seats
Zoram Nationalist Party                          02 Seats
Total                                                       40 Seats

Congress is the ruling party in the States of Delhi,Mizoram and Rajasthan and
BJP is the ruling party in the States of M P and Chhattisgarh

Ruling Delhi for three consecutive terms, chief minister Sheila Dikshit is in the fray for a record fourth time while the faction-ridden BJP is yet to announce its CM candidate.AAP's Arvind Kejriwal and BJP state party chief Vijay Goel are challenging Sheila Dikshit

In Mizoram, the ruling Congress is hoping to retain power

In Rajasthan,chief minister, Ashok Gehlot(Congress)is challenged by BJP's Vasundhra Raje Scindia.BJP is counting on the anti-incumbency factor, the Congress seems confident that the UPA and the state government's welfare schemes will bring in votes.

The only non-Congress CM to rule Madhya Pradesh for five years in continuation, Shivraj Singh Chouhan is in the fray for a third term and will ask voters to bring the BJP and him back to power for an third consecutive term. Challenging him is the Congress led by Jyotiraditya Scindia.

In Chhattisgarh,Chief Minister Raman Singh(BJP)is holding the power since 2003.Raman Singh is in the fray for a third term, the major players in the Congress are MP from Korba Charan Das Mahant, Ajit Jogi and former MP CM Motilal Vora

Assembly Election on Dec 04,2013

• Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: 09.11.2013 Saturday
• Last Date for Nominations: 16.11.2013 Saturday
• Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: 18.11.2013 Monday
• Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: 20.11.2013 Wednesday
• Date of poll if necessary: 04.12.2013 Wednesday
• Counting on: 08.12.2013 (Sunday)

District-wise Assembly Constituencies Map

List of the Assembly Constituencies in Mizoram
[1] Hachhek (ST) [2] Dampa (ST) [3] Mamit (ST) [4] Tuirial (ST) [5] Kolasib (ST) [6] Serlui (ST) [7] Tuivawl (ST) [8] Chalfilh (ST) [9] Tawi (ST) [10] Aizawl North-I (ST) [11] Aizawl North-II (ST) [12] Aizawl North-III (ST) [13] Aizawl East-I [14] Aizawl East-II (ST)	[15] Aizawl West-I (ST) [16] Aizawl West-II (ST) [17] Aizawl West-III (ST) [18] Aizawl South-I (ST) [19] Aizawl South-II (ST) [20] Aizawl South-III (ST) [21] Lengteng (ST) [22] Tuichang (ST) [23] Champhai North (ST) [24] Champhai South (ST) [25] East Tuipui (ST) [26] Serchhip (ST) [27] Tuikum (ST)	[28] Hrangturzo (ST) [29] South Tuipui (ST) [30] Lunglei North (ST) [31] Lunglei East (ST) [32] Lunglei West (ST) [33] Lunglei South (ST) [34] Thorang (ST) [35] West Tuipui (ST) [36] Tuichawng (ST) [37] Lawngtlai West (ST) [38] Lawngtlai East (ST) [39] Saiha (ST) [40] Palak (ST)

As per the SC's Order  on Sep 27,2013, Election Commission has decided to include of 'None of the above' (NOTA) provision in the Assembly polls

 

 

Model Code of conduct for Polls Implemented

The political parties have been informed about the opening of bank account for their candidates at least a day before filing their nominations and the candidates will have to manage their poll expenses from the account

The limit of poll expenditure in one constituency has been fixed at Rs 8 lakh

About 6,86,305 voters in the state, of which  are men and  women

A total of  polling stations are in the state

As per the directives of the Supreme Court, if the candidate misses out something while filling the nomination form then it will be the responsibility of the Returning Officer to inform the candidate about those missing entries

ECI Re-Schedule Polling Date Wed Oct 23,2013

As per the original timetable, Mizoram was to go to polls on Dec 4,2013 and the counting for all five states was slated to be on December 8,2013  Parties, NGOs and church leaders from a dozen denominations had last week written to the CEO requesting the date of polling be shifted to November 25 from December 4 as two large denominations-Presbyterians and Pentecostals-are scheduled to organize their annual meetings in the first week of December They also requested that the date of counting of votes, set for December 8, be rescheduled to fall on any day except Saturday and Sunday, the latter being a holy day for Christians that make up close to 90 percent of the state's population          

     The ECI on Wednesday advanced polling in Mizoram to November 25 in view of demands from political parties and other organisations of the state.

Counting in the state has also been rescheduled to December 9,2013 as reservations were expressed over holding counting on a Sunday, which has religious significance for Mizoram's large Christian community.    

 

Political parties seek removal of poll officer over poll dates Thursday Oct 24,2013

Six political parties  in Mizoram on Thursday submitted a joint memorandum to the Election Commission of India demanding the removal of Mizoram's Chief Electoral Officer Ashwani Kumar

The joint submission came hours after representatives of these parties walked out of a stormy meeting at Kumar's office to discuss their earlier requests to reschedule dates set for elections and vote counting

Party representatives of the Congress, BJP, TMC, Mizo National Front, Mizoram People's Conference and Zoram Nationalist Party had walked out about half-an-hour into the meeting, which was also attended by church leaders and some NGOs.  

Opposition Parties Urge ECI To Introduce in EVM's Equipped With VVPAT System 

 

Four Opposition parties in Mizoram -

• Mizo National Front (MNF)

•  Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC)

•  Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) and 

• BJP

have urged the Election Commission to introduce Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) equipped with Voters Verifiable Paper Audit (VVPAT) system during the Assembly polls 

They said people have the right to exercise franchise without doubts and fear of manipulations and the VVPAT would ensure transparency.

The VVPAT system enables a voter to see in print the vote cast by him. However, the paper slip of his vote is not handed over to him and is kept separately at the polling booth.

Triangular Contest likely in Assembly Polls

Mizoram is likely to witness a 3-cornered contest in the election to the 40-member state assembly slated for Nov 25,2013

While the ruling Congress and the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) announced that they would contest the coming assembly polls separately The opposition Mizo National Front(MNF) and Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) have agreed to forge a pre-poll alliance  If Congress and ZNP actually contest the polls separately without any electoral understanding, Mizoram is likely to witness a 3-cornered contest between Congress, ZNP and MNF-MPC combine      

MNF and MPC Reach Poll Alliance

MNF has decided to contest 32 seats of the 40-member assembly, leaving 8 seats for MPC

 Identification of seats for the two parties would be taken up later. Earlier, the breakaway group of the MPC, the People's Conference Party led by Lalhmingthanga merged with the MNF MNF is led by former chief minister Zoramthanga and MPC led by Lalhmangaiha Sailo, a retired Indian Revenue Service officer and son of former chief minister Brig Thenphunga Sailo  Poll Panel Asks Mizoram to use VVPAT System in 10 Constituencies The Election Commission (EC) has instructed the Mizoram election department to use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail System (VVPAT) system in 10 Assembly constituencies in the coming elections to the 40-member state legislature on November 25,2013The instruction was issued on Thursday Oct 31,2013 to introduce VVPAT with the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and would be used in 10 seats out of the 11 seats within Aizawl city, state Joint Chief Electoral Officer H Lalengmawia said       

Zoram 

Zoram Nationalist Party announces candidates

Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP), which would contest 38 constituencies in the coming elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly to be held on November 25, 2013  announced the names of its candidates on Monday Nov 04,2013

The ZNP chief, former Lok Sabha member Lalduhoma would contest from his home turf, Aizawl West-I seat and Kolasib constituency in Kolasib district

The Indian Police Service (IPS) officer-turned-politician, who was earlier security officer to the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Lalduhoma would contest against former Speaker and Mizo National Front (MNF) leader Lalchamliana and transport minister P C Zoramsangliana of the Congress from Kolasib seat.

ZNP vice president K Liantlinga would contest from Aizawl South-I, his home turf and would be pitted against a well-known television personality R K Lianzuala of the MNF and former student leader R Vanlalvena of the Congress.

Former Speaker of the state Assembly R Lalawia, a top ZNP leader would contest against the lone Rajya Sabha member Lalhming Liana of the MNF and sitting legislator K Lalrinthanga of the Congress from the Serlui seat. 

Congress Announce Candidates Saturday Nov 02,2013 

 

  The Congress on Saturday re-nominated all its sitting 32 MLAs except two legislators(Revenue and Excise Minister JH Rothuama and former minister Nirupam Chakma) for elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly and said that it would contest the state polls alone and would put up candidates in all the seats.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla would contest from two seats - his home turf Serchhip constituency and also from neighbouring Hrangturzo seat in Serchhip district 

Kolasib Deputy Commissioner removed after goof-up in printing ballots

Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer of Kolasib district on Mizoram-Assam border R. Lalramnghaka was transferred after a faux pas was detected in the printing of postal ballots to be used for the Bru voters in the Tripura relief camps.

State election department officials said that the transfer order was issued yesterday Thursday Nov 21,2013 and Lalramnghaka was posted as Joint Secretary to the Government of Mizoram.

He was replaced by Jitendra Yadav who joined as the DC of Kolasib today Friday Nov 22,2013

The officials said that the postal ballots sent from Kolasib district had mistakenly printed 'Mizoram People's Party' while the right name of the party was 'Mizoram People's Conference' (MPC).