Preparations to be ready by Feb 15: CEO
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 23 2019: Chief Electoral Officer PK Singh has conveyed that the State election plan for the 17th Lok Sabha election will be ready within February 15.Speaking to media persons at his office today, the CEO maintained that para-military forces and State police will also be deployed for the coming election.

Meanwhile, a lucky draw/lottery for voters, who participated in the awareness campaign on EVM and VVPAT (which will be utilised in the Parliamentary election), was conducted at the office of the CEO in Lamphel in the presence of the former Chief Electoral Officer as well as Manipur University Administrator Jarnail Singh.

The lucky draw was conducted for all the 60 Constituencies, while the winners of the draw will be awarded on National Voters Day celebration on January 25, he added.

PK Singh, while addressing the media persons, informed that awareness campaigns on EVM and VVPAT were conducted at the State's 2861 polling stations for two and half months.

He further stated that the campaign was also carried out at public places and during the State level Sangai festival as well.

Nearly 1.41 lakh people got themselves acquainted with the machines during the campaigns, he said adding that the winner of the lucky draw will receive a Honda Activa as the prize while a TV set and a refrigerator will be given to the second and third prize winners respectively.

Those winners selected from each Constituency will be awarded with a mobile handset also, the CEO informed.

Noting that the campaign was successful, PK Singh further informed that as directed by the Commission, foldable and portable mobile voting compartments will be utilised for voters' convenience.

He went on to state that the walls of the voting compartment have specific thickness and the EVM balloting unit will be kept inside the compartment while a camera will be placed just opposite to the compartment.

Polling station number, date of voting, names of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies will be posted on the walls of the voting compartment.

Apart from the required number of EVM and VVPAT machines for 2861 polling stations, the CEO stated that extra machines will also be kept on the side or in reserve.

PK Singh stated that necessary steps are being taken up to identify polling personnel adding that special training for the trainers are also going on at the CEO office.

Maintaining that 79 companies of paramilitary forces (39 companies from the State and 40 from outside) were deputed in the 16th Lok Sabha election in 2014, the officer expressed that almost around the same number of forces might be deputed in the coming 17th Lok Sabha election.

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