Polling ends in Manipur, Irom Sharmila confident of victory

IMPHAL: The polling time for the first phase of Manipur Assembly elections ended on Friday.
Over 80 per cent voter turnout was recorded in 38 constituencies spread across six districts in the hill state.
Officials said the final figure would go higher as this was only the preliminary report at 3 pm when polling officially ended.
1,643 polling stations were set up for polling in the first phase in which 168 candidates were contesting.
Irom Sharmila, who broke her 16-year fast last year and founded a party Peoples Resurgence and Justice, cast her vote in booth no. 3/39 of the Khurai Assembly constituency and said she is confident of her party's victory in the elections.
Polling in Kongpal in Imphal East's Khuria area witnessed participation of differently-abled and elderly people.
In the run up to the polls, the political parties focused primarily on the continuing economic blockade in their campaigns.