Inner RO clarifies on 'Service voters'
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 29, 2014:
Deputy Commissioner, Imphal West, who is also the Returning Officer of Inner Parliamentary Constituency for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, today made a press clarification regarding the matter of 'Service Voter' that appeared in some Imphal dailies on March 27. The press clarification issued by K Radhakumar Singh, DC, Imphal West and RO of Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, said that the allegations that the electoral roll copy for Service electors shall be supplied to all the candidates within 48 hours after the scrutiny is over are 'not correct.' Regarding the allegations that there are 71 thousand voters residing outside the State, the statement clarified that these voters are not connected with the Service Voters as the electoral rolls of the Service electors are prepared in terms of clause 8 of section 20 of the RP Act, 1950. The statement added that under section 13 B of the RP Act, the electoral rolls for each of the constituency including the Service electors are prepared by the Electoral Registration Officers of the assembly constituencies concerned.
It further explained that the categories of Service Voters are members of the armed forces of the Union, members of a force to which the provisions of the Army Act, 1950, have been made applicable with or without modifications, or a person who is employed under the Government of India, but is posted outside India.
For election to the House of the People, the EROs shall supply to the RO of the Parliamentary Constituency, copies of the electoral rolls as directed under para 14 chapter of the Handbook for EROs (2012).As per para 8.7 of the Handbook for ROs (2014), the RO of the PC shall supply a copy of the electoral roll to the candidates of the recognized National/State political parties within three days after the last date of withdrawal of candidatures, the press clarification added.