AIZAWL:
The election for the 15th President of India was carried out all over the country on July 18, and 40 members of the Mizoram legislative assembly cast their votes by 1:10 pm even though polling was open till 5:00 pm.
The polling took place at the committee room of the assembly secretariat from 10:00 am under stringent security and adherence to the Covid appropriate behavior (CAB). All the legislators underwent thermal screening with officials conducting the polls and media persons covering the polling being tested for Covid-19 on July 17.
State assembly secretariat officials revealed the voting began with Lalchhuanthanga of the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), elected from Aizawl South-II seat and first-time MLA, casting his vote, while Dr K Pachhunga of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and election agent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu was the last legislator to vote. Chief Minister Zoramthanga had cast his vote at around 10:30 am.
The lone Lok Sabha member from the state C Lalrosanga and Rajya Sabha member K Vanlalvena cast their votes at the Parliament in Delhi, sources close to the two MPs said. The value of each of the 40 legislators is 8 while the two MPs have 700 votes each.
The ruling MNF legislators, numbering 28, two MPs and the lone BJP legislator said that they voted for Murmu, while 6 legislators of the ZPM and 5 Congress legislators announced that they would vote for opposition alliance nominee Yashwant Sinha.
Though the MNF is a constituent of the NDA as well as the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), it did not have any political alliance with the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit in the elections and state politics till date.
Former minister and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Zodintluanga Ralte said that he was proud to exercise his franchise for the fourth time in the elections to the President of India.
After the polling got over, the ballot box was again kept in the strong room inside the state assembly secretariat which has been kept guarded round-the-clock.
Secretary of the state legislative assembly H Lalrinawma, who is also assistant returning officer and presiding officer for the presidential polls, said that he would escort the ballot box containing the votes to Delhi on July 19 by flight.