Aizawl, Apr 19(UNI) Almost 60 percent of a total of 8,56,364 voters exercised their franchise for the election to the lone Mizoram Lok Sabha seat on Friday.
Official sources said the polling started at 7 AM and continued in some polling stations with voters who were already inside polling areas still waiting for their turns.

Polling was reported to be completely peaceful with no untoward incident being reported from anywhere, state election department officials said

The election department officials said though the actual poll percentage is not yet known, it is estimated to be almost 60, below the poll percentage in the last Lok Sabha polls held in 2019. The poll percentage in the 2019 Lok Sabha general elections in Mizoram constituency was 63.13.

“The actual poll turnout will be known only after all the polling parties reach their respective district headquarters, which may be late Saturday evening with several polling stations remaining incommunicado and polling parties from far-flung areas as well as those accessible only by foot and by boat will be arriving late.

Electorate of 8,56,364 voters (out of which 4,14,805 are male voters and 4,41,559 are female voters have decided the fates of 6 candidates for Lok Sabha polls held on Friday.

There are 4,963 Service voters (male - 4872, female - 91), 4,741 voters aged 85 and above (male – 2,167, female - 2574), 3,396 PwD voters (male - 1876, female - 1521), and 36,370 young voters between the ages of 18-19 (male - 18,659, female - 17,711).

Out of the 1,276 Polling Stations, there are 751 Rural Polling Stations and 525 Urban Polling Stations. On average, there are 671 voters per Polling station.
The Polling Booths in 765 Polling Stations were monitored through webcasting. There are 14 Vulnerable Polling Stations (Kolasib District - 7, Aizawl District - 3, Champhai District - 4), 5 Critical Polling Stations (all from Manipur border Saitual District), 11 Polling Stations accessible only on foot (Tripura border Mamit District - 6, south Mizoram’s Lunglei District - 4, Lawngtlai District - 1) and 15 Polling Stations that are only accessible through waterways (Lunglei District - 13, Mamit District - 2).

There are 6 candidates in the fray whose fates were decided by the electorate on Friday – Richard Vanlalhmangaiha of the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), lone Rajya Sabha member K. Vanlalvena of the Mizo National Front (MNF), Lalbiakzama of the Congress, Vanlalhmuaka of the BJP, Rita Malsawmi of the Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) who is the lone woman nominee and Lalhriatrenga Chhangte, independent candidate.
Official sources said despite extensive voter awareness campaigns conducted by the election department to encourage greater participation in the Lok Sabha polls, voters in Mizoram appeared hesitant to elect their representative to the single Lok Sabha seat allotted to the state.
Around 43.35 percent electorate exercised their franchise for the Lok Sabha polls in Mizoram till 1.00 PM on Friday. The voting turnout at 9 AM was 17.59 percent which was increased to 43.35 percent till 1:00 PM and went up to 52.62 percent by 5PM.
Expressing concern over the potential for low voter turnout, State Chief Electoral Officer Madhup Vyas held a press conference on Friday at noon, urging government employees to exercise their right to vote
UNI ZS BD