Counting for 19 seats delayed in Manipur

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was leading on 21 of the 41 seats and National People’s Party on seven

GUWAHATI: The counting of votes for 19 Manipur assembly seats was delayed on Thursday as several returning officers were in charge of more than a constituency.

Twenty returning officers were in charge of two assembly seats each. (AFP)

“We have 41 counting halls where counting of votes for 41 seats is taking place. Once the counting process is over for these seats, counting for the remaining 19 seats will start,” chief electoral officer Rajesh Agarwal said.

“We should start getting...results of the 41 seats by 2:30 pm. For the remaining 19 seats, results should start around 6:30-7:00 pm.”

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was leading on 21 of the 41 seats, National People’s Party seven, Naga Peoples Front on five, Congress three, Independents and Janata Dal (United) two each, and the Kuki Peoples’ Alliance on one seat.

Twenty returning officers were in-charge of two assembly seats each. “Once counting is over in the first seat, they can start counting for the second seat,” said joint chief electoral officer Ramananda Nongmeikapam.