Our Correspondent
Imphal, Feb. 24 (EMN): With four days to go for the first phase polling of the Manipur assembly elections, all arrangements for dispersal of polling parties have been made, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manipur Rajesh Agrawal informed on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference at the CEO office, Agrawal said that webcasting/videography will be done in all polling stations, while adequate central armed paramilitary forces will also be deployed in all polling stations.
Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) and Anganwadi workers are engaged, while two volunteers will also be engaged in each polling station for assisting voters. Voter assistance booths will be set up in all polling stations, he said.
The CEO Manipur said all polling stations will be sanitised one day before the polls to ensure safe voting for electors. Earmarking of circles, token system will be in place to avoid crowding in polling stations and adequate sanitiser, mask, glove, face shield, PPE kit etc. will be provided to polling parties.
Stating that presence of political functionaries from outside the constituency will be restricted during the silence period, which starts from 48 hours prior to close of poll, he said public meeting, procession will also be prohibited.
No one will be allowed to carry mobile phones inside the polling booth except for the presiding officer and polling officer-I, he added.
“With regard to law and order and seizure, 60 FIRs had been filed and 58 persons had been arrested in connection with the FIRs since the announcement of the poll dates on January 8”, he said adding that a total of 18,120 licensed arms have been deposited in the nearest police station which is 81 per cent of the total license arms and a total of 6892 persons have been bound down under CrPC.
Regarding identity proof for voting, Election Commission of India (ECI) has discontinued photo voter slip as an identity proof with effect from February 28, 2019, he informed.
Joint CEOs Ramananda Nongmeikapam, Md Daulat Khan and state nodal officer (Media) W Phajatombi Devi were also present during the press conference.
Manipur will go to polls on February 28 and March 5, while counting will take place March 10 to elect its 60 legislators.