As many as 76 candidates have filed nominations for the upcoming Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) polls of Mizoram which is scheduled to be held on May 9.

It is to be mentioned that one of the candidates will be contesting independently.

According to reports, Polling for the 20-member district council will be held on May 9 and the counting of votes will take place on May 11.

While speaking to media, Mizoram State Election Commission Deputy Secretary R Vanrengpuia said that the ruling party Mizo National Front (MNF) and opposition BJP have filed 20 candidates each.

Meanwhile, the Congress has filed 22 candidates, where two of them are substitutes.

Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) at the same time has given tickets to 13 people.

Vanrengpuia said that Congress filing two substitute candidates is a normal procedure and it was done to fill in a void in case some nominees don’t clear the scrutiny.

“If all the Congress nominees clear the scrutiny, the two substitute nominees will be dropped from the list,” he said.

Out of the 20 MNF nominees, 10 are incumbent members, while ZPM fielded five incumbent members and Congress one. Further, the BJP has filed an incumbent member and a former minister.

The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is April 27.

As many as 35,885 voters, including 17,677 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the polls in which EVMs will be used.