RO appeals; AITC petitions CEO
Source: The Sangai Express
Thoubal/Imphal, October 14 2014:
Informing that necessary security arrangements have been put in place for the ensuing Hiyanglam AC by-poll which is scheduled to go to the polls on Oct 17, Th Charanjit Singh, RO of the by-poll today appealed to all voters to exercise their franchise without any hesitation.
Training for polling personnel was conducted twice to ensure the smooth conduct of the poll.
Security personnel have already been deputed to safeguard the strong room.
The RO appealed to all concerned to make the by-poll a model election.
All the 34 polling stations in the AC are identified as hypersensitive.
A total of 24492 voters are in the list including 12539 female voters.
Meanwhile, the president of Manipur Pradesh Trinamool Congress, MLA Th Shyamkumar has urged the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and Returning Officer to ban use of camera and mobile phone devices by voters inside polling booths in the ensuing Hiyanglam AC by-election.
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In a letter to the CEO, MLA Th Shyamkumar, while quoting an intelligence source, said that some people are making promises to voters on behalf of a particular candidate that cash incentives would be given to anyone who could produce photographic evidence that they cast their vote in favour of a particular candidate.
As this development could invite unwanted consequences, the MPTC president urged the CEO to restrict the use of camera and mobile phone devices inside polling booths.
MPTC Spokesperson P Premananda said there is strong apprehension that the CEO is not seriously monitoring the ensuing by-election.
The CEO is apparently blind to the excessive use of flags and money by the Congress party thereby turning the election to a kind of carnival, Premananda said.
He further accused the Congress party of indulging in raising the party's flags all along the roads within the Assembly segment after pulling down the flags of other parties.
It amounts to violation of the model code of conduct.
The remark of Congress MLA K Ranjit, who mentioned in one of the Congress election meetings that the MPTC candidate is likely to face disqualification if at all he is elected, was sub-judice, he said.
Saying that the MPTC has seriously viewed the matter � capitalising on issue that is under the Assembly Tribunal Court as election campaign matter, Premananda said, the party would intimate the matter to the ECI and seek fitting action against MLA K Ranjit.
Notwithstanding the BJP's and Congress' rules at the Centre and State, the Trinamool candidate would emerge victorious in the Hiyanglam AC by-poll as per the aspirations of the people, he said.
Appealing the authority concerned to restrict visit of MLAs and Ministers to Hiyanglam AC on the poll day, Premananda said the voters deserve a free choice.