Mizoram EC to hold AMC polls likely in April or May: SEC

Aizawl, Jan 16 (PTI) Mizoram State Election Commission (SEC) will hold elections to Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) likely in April or May, even as the current term of the AMC expires on March 1, a senior official said on Friday.

State Election Commissioner H. Lalthlangliana told reporters that the municipal polls have to be deferred due to time constraints, as the budget session and school examinations are going to be held in February-March.

Moreover, the end of the AMC term has coincided with the end of the current financial year, which inconvenienced the state poll panel to hold the elections before the end of the financial year, he said.

The state budget session will commence on February 17 and its detailed programme or duration is yet to be finalised by the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) headed by Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama.

"Due to the upcoming budget session, exams and closure of the current financial year, all officials who will be involved in the elections will be occupied with their office business. Therefore, we decided to conduct the municipal polls after the budget session or closure of the financial year in April or May," Lalthlangliana said.

He said that the commission is also of the opinion that the AMC elections cycle needs to be changed as it coincides with the budget session and the end of the financial year.

The AMC polls were deferred on some occasions in the past too, he said.

Citing that the existing AMC term will expire on March 1, Lalthlangliana said the government will appoint an administrator or caretaker to assume all functions and powers vested in the municipal corporation after the expiry of the term till the elections.

He said that poll preparations have been going on since last year and the final roll was published on January 7, according to which there are over 2.39 lakh voters, including 1.29 lakh female voters, across 19 wards in the AMC area.

The opposition Congress has already released the first list of its candidates for 13 out of 19 seats for the upcoming AMC polls on Monday.

Other parties, including the ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) are yet to announce the names of their candidates.

In the last AMC polls held in February 2021, the MNF won a majority bagging 11 seats, ZPM secured 6 seats, and Congress won 2 seats. PTI CORR RG