Zilla Parishads and Gram Panchayats poll fixed on September 13
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 27, 2012:
Polling for election of Zilla Parishads and Gram Panchayats for the four valley districts of Manipur would be held on September 13. Interestingly, voters of 18 villages located within Imphal East and Thoubal districts who voted in the last ADC election would also vote in the forthcoming Panchayat election.
The schedules for the Panchayat election was announced today by State Election Commission Secretary Th Chitra at the Commission's office at Lamphelpat.
Along with announcement of the election schedule, the election model code of conduct has also come into force from today in all the four valley districts.
It is the fourth time election would be held under the Manipur Panchayati Raj (Election) Rules 1995 and it would be the largest local bodies election in Manipur, Chitra said.
The last date for filing nomination paper for the Panchayat election is August 3. Scrutiny would be done on August 4 and the last date of withdrawal has been fixed on August 7.Polling would be held on September 13 from 7 am to 4 pm, said the Secretary.
If necessary, re-poll would be held on September 15 before the votes are counted on September 17, and all election processes would be completed by September 22. Saying that the election model code of conduct has come into force, Chitra informed that there would be prohibition on MLAs/Ministers laying foundation stones of any project/building in Gram Panchayat areas, any activity which may influence voters and declaration of recruitment results.Altogether, 60 Zilla Parishad Members and 161 Pradhans would be elected after the September 13 polling.
District-wise distribution of Zilla Parishad Members are Imphal East 19, Imphal West 14, Thoubal 16 and Bishnupur 11.The respective figures for Pradhans are Imphal East 56, Imphal West 39, Thoubal 42 and Bishnupur 24. In addition, 1514 ward members would be also be elected that comprises of 490 in Imphal East, 327 in Imphal West,478 in Thoubal and 219 in Bishnupur.
Altogether 6,51,817 voters (3,18,112 males and 3,33,695 females) would exercise their franchise at 1516 polling stations and each polling station would be manned by six polling personnel each.
Meanwhile, all the DCs of the four valley districts as well as Jiribam ADC have been designated as District Election Officers.
Moreover, 13 Returning Officers and 41 Assistant Returning Officers have been appointed in order to conduct the Panchayat election smoothly.
On the other hand, 18 villages located within Imphal East and Thoubal districts, after they were allowed to cast their votes in the ADC election as genuine voters, would once again be allowed to vote in the Panchayat election, informed a source.