Mizoram state election commission on Thursday announced a re-poll to constitute North Vanlaiphai Village Council in the Serchhip district.

The state election commission’s decision came after 15 people filed complaints about the discrepancies in the village council polls held on August 27, seeking a re-poll in North Vanlaiphai.

According to a notification, issued by the state election commission, a re-poll for the 7-member North Vanlaiphai Village Council will be held on December 10.

Counting of votes will be undertaken as soon as the polling is over, the notification said.

The notification said the election of the returned candidates in the recently held general election was declared null and void.

In September, the poll panel had received petitions from at least 42 village councils, including North Vanlaiphai and 6 local councils in Aizawl seeking re-poll or recounting of votes and probe into alleged discrepancies in the poll process.

As for the North Vanlaiphai Village Council, at least 15 people, including 10 candidates, who contested the previous election, have submitted a complaint to the state election commission.

Following this, the election tribunal for Serchhip district investigated the matter and in the process found that there were irregularities and discrepancies in the last poll held on August 27.

There are seven members in North Vanlaiphai Village Council, of which the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) had won four seats while Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) bagged 2 and Congress 1.

Polling for the 558 village councils in 9 districts and 83 local councils in Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) area was held from August-September.

MNF swept the rural and urban body polls by winning more than 300 rural bodies out of 558 in 9 districts and over 70 urban bodies out of 83 in Aizawl.