IMPHAL: Brisk polling with a voter turnout of 69 per cent was recorded till 1pm in the first phase of Manipur assembly election on Saturday.
Manipur chief electoral officer Vivek Kumar Dewangan said 69 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in the first five hours of voting.
State nodal officer (Elections) W Chandrakumar Singh told PTI, "given the circumstances in the state and the nature of voting, turnout is likely to increase after 2 pm."
No report of violence has been reported from anywhere in the state.
The rise in voter turnout reflected a sense of responsibility among the voters, Singh said.
Rights activists Irom Sharmila cast her vote at a polling booth of Khurai assembly constituency.
Elections are being held on Saturday in 38 assembly constituencies in the first phase.
In all, 168 candidates are in the fray in this phase.
An electorate of 19,02,562 comprising 9,28,573 male voters and 9,73,989 female voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. There are around 45,642 new voters.
Polling will end at 3 pm.