VB Election Coverage: Here are the updates from Mizoram Assembly Election 2023
Aizawl: The counting for the Mizoram Legislative Assembly elections this year is to be held on Monday, December 4, after the results four states were declared on Sunday.
The voting in Mizoram was held on November 7, with over 80 per cent of the voters exercising their franchise. With 174 candidates, including 18 women and 17 Independents, contesting the elections, Mizoram is expecting a triangular fight among the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), the Congress and the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), although the BJP hopes to prove itself the 'kingmaker' in the state.
As the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) contesting the elections in Mizoram for the first time, sending its candidates to the fray for four seats, the exit polls have predicting a hung Assembly in the state.
Here are all the updates from Mizoram's vote counting for 2023 Assembly Elections:
4:30 PM: Fortieth seat of Mizoram Assembly claimed by MNF as Lalrintluanga Sailo wins with 6,218 votes. BJP state head Vanlalhmuaka, at a distant 4th, get 2,060 votes
4:10 PM: Mizoram CM Zoramthanga submits resignation to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati after MNF loses Assembly elections
3:25 PM: Dampa, where BJP state chief Vanlalhmuaka is contesting the Mizoram elections, only seat waiting for result
3:00 PM: Breather for Congress as C. Ngunlianchunga wins Lawngtlai West, beating V. Zirsanga of MNF by 432 votes
2:15 PM: Results of only 5 seats of Mizoram Assembly left to be declared, but Congress has not made a breakthrough in the polls yet – ZPM has 26 seats, MNF 7, BJP 2
1:00 PM: Major setback for ruling party in Mizoram as CM Zoramthanga loses battle against ZPM candidate Lalthansangsa by more than 2,100 votes in Aizawl East-1
12:45 PM: With ZPM eyeing an easy victory in Mizoram, the party's CM candidate Lalduhoma said that he would be meeting the Governor within two days and that the swearing-in ceremony would be held this month
12:35 PM: ZPM Chief Ministerial candidate Lalduhoma wins from Serchhip, beats J Malsawmzual Vanchhawng of MNF by 2,982 votes
12:15 PM: First good news for ruling party MNF from Thorang - R. Rohmingliana scrapes through, beats Congress candidate Zodintluanga Ralte by 62-vote margin
12:10 PM: BJP leader Alok Vats admits that regional party in Mizoram will have say as national parties fail to make impact on the people of the state
12:00 PM: BJP registers first win in Mizoram: K. Hrahmo wins from Palak beats MNF candidate K.T. Rokhaw by 1,241 margin
11:35 AM: All 6 victories so far in Mizoram Assembly polls go to ZPM; Mizoram Health Minister R Lalthangliana among early losers; defeated by ZPM's Jeje Lalpekhlua in South Tuipui
11:15 AM: BJP gains lead on 3 seats, edges past Congress, which leads on 1 seat while BJP state head Vanlalhmuaka stands at 4th position in Dampa with 568 votes
11:05 AM: ZPM members and supporters gather at party office in Aizawl, celebrate party's win in 2 seats and prominent lead on 25 other seats in Assembly elections
10:50 AM: Another victory for ZPM: Lalnghinglova Hmar wins Aizawl West-II with 10,398 votes, beating Lalruatkima of MNF by 4,819 margin
10:40 AM: Lalduhoma, leader of ZPM, leads in Serchhip by over 2,500 votes; MNF debutant candidate J Malsawmzual Vanchhawng in second position
10:25 AM: ZPM retains surge in polls on 28 seats, ruling MNF on 7 - CM Zoramthanga trails by 640-margin in Aizawl East-1
10:05 AM: Breaking news – Deputy CM Tawnluia loses battle; W Chhuanawma of ZPM beats him in Tuichang constituency by 909 margin
9:50 AM: CM Zoramthanga-led Mizo National Front (MNF), leading on 10 seats, struggles to surpass rival ZPM, which is surging ahead, with lead on 22 seats
9:35 AM: ZPM leads on 8 seats; MNF in second position, leading on 8; Congress on 2, BJP leads on 1
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
