Nongada flays re-poll snub
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 15 2012:
Nongada Part II electorates have threatened to launch intense agitation in case repoll for electing Ward No 1/2/2 Member under Nongren Chinungkhok Gram Panchayat is not announced before declaration of the Panchayat election result.
Contending that the presiding officer concerned had assured to conduct repoll consequent to alleged error in the allotment of election symbol, the agitated electors have also announced formation of The Protest Committee Against the Non Holding of Repoll of 1/2/2 Nongada Part-II .
Speaking to newspersons at Manipur Press Club today, Committee convenor Sh Purnimashi Devi pointed out that on the day of the Panchayat Election (September 13) voting process for the said ward conducted at Kameng Primary School was held up following complaints on mis-representation of a Member contestant's election symbol.
As the matter was conveyed to the Returning Officer concerned and relevant election officials, the Presiding Officer namely Ng Joykumar assured to the public that repoll would be conducted for the Ward's Member on September 15 following which voting resumed for election of Zilla Parishad and Panchayat representatives, she said.
Taking grim note of election authorities' contention that re-poll for the said ward (member) would not be conducted as the Presiding Officer's report mentioned absence of voter turn-out and that the member's seat would remain vacant, Purnimashi ridiculed the Presiding Officer's report by furnishing photocopies of documents that enlisted 515 voters exercising their franchise rights on the said day and same polling station.
Moreover, a copy of the Presiding Officer's report supposed to be submitted to the Returning Officer, Sawombung was also presented to newspersons in which Ng Joykumar had cited 'election symbol controversy' as the reason for the postponement of election for Ward No 1/2/2 Nongada Part-II.
The Presiding Officer also clearly mentioned in the document that "repoll for the said ward will be soon announced by the RO, Sawombung" .
According to the Committee convenor Member contestant Ph Boby was actually allotted Aeroplane as the symbol but on the day of franchise 'car' was placed as the symbol for the said
candidate.
With the election symbol controversy triggering protest, the Presiding Officer conveyed the matter to the RO, Sawombung and on the latter's advice voting with regard to election of Member was held up from 9.30 am, she explained.
Asserting that not holding repoll despite documentary and circumstantial evidences amount to denying democratic right to the citizens, Purnimashi declared that apart from approaching relevant court, intense agitation would be launched in case repoll is not conducted before official declaration of the Panchayat election result.