Key Contenders Gear Up for High-Stakes Lai Autonomous District Council Polls

In a pivotal regional election, the Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC) in Mizoram will go to the polls on December 3, announced the State Election Commission (SEC). The 25-member council's election will take place in 111 polling stations from 7 am to 4 pm, with a re-poll scheduled for December 4 if necessary.

H. Lalthlangliana, the State Election Commissioner, detailed that 56,873 voters, 29,019 of whom are women, are set to vote in this crucial election employing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Sakeilut constituency boasts the highest number of voters at 3,993, while Cheural trails at 1,381 eligible voters. Uniquely, the Hmawngbuchhuah polling station near the Indo-Myanmar border has just one registered voter.

The LADC was established in 1972 under the Sixth Schedule for the Lai tribal people and is one of three ADCs in Mizoram's southern region. Historically, in the last polls of 2020, the Mizo National Front (MNF) secured a significant victory, which adds to the stakes of the upcoming elections. Political dynamics could shift as BJP and Congress vie for influence amidst emerging independent candidates.