Brus fear decline in polling percentage

AIZWAL : The minority Brus feel that voter count in the November 28 Mizoram Assembly polls could fall drastically if it is made mandatory for them to cast their vote from their native villages, as a lot of eligible voters may not want to travel.

Recently, All NGO Coordination Committee, the apex body of civil societies and student bodies in Mizoram, claimed that the Election Commission has said that Brus residing in Tripura would have to exercise their franchise in Mizoram. In view of this, they have requested the Election Commission to continue with the old system of exercising franchise from the relief camps of north Tripura . “During the last Assembly election, the number of Bru voters was around 11,000 in the relief camp; this time it should be around 15,000. However if Bru voters have to come to their respective villages to cast their votes, the voting percentage will plummet for several voters will avoid travelling such long distance,” Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum general secretary Bruno Msha told ET. He said, “There might be some increase in voting percentage if polling stations are built along the border areas inside Mizoram.”

Brus fear decline in polling percentage