Mizoram: Sinlung Hills Council election schedule to be announced on October 3

The schedule for the elections to the Sinlung Hills Council (SHC) in Mizoram will be announced on October 3, State Election Commissioner H Lalthlangliana said on Monday. 

Lalthlangliana mentioned this after publishing the final electoral rolls for the SHC polls. 
According to the rolls, there are 23,789 voters, including 11,914 female voters. Female voters outnumber male voters by 39. There were 20,914 voters in the last council polls held in November 2019.

The SHC has 12 constituencies, comprising 31 villages in the Hmar-dominated northeastern part of Mizoram, covering three assembly constituencies in the Aizawl, Kolasib, and Saitual districts. 

A Hmar People's Convention (HPC) leader said his party will tie up with the state's ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) for the polls. The two parties have agreed on a seat-sharing arrangement, where ZPM will contest in eight constituencies and HPC in four.

In the last polls held in November 2019, the MNF-HPC combine bagged 10 seats, and the other two were won by Independent candidates. However, in the last five years, there has been a frequent change in the power dynamics in the council, and the ZPM-HPC alliance is in power at present.

The SHC was established on July 9, 2018, as a result of the peace accord signed between the Mizoram government and the erstwhile underground Hmar People's Convention (Democratic) or HPC(D) on April 2 that year. The council has 12 elected members and two nominated seats. It is headed by a Chief Executive Member (CEM).