Social activists oppose repoll
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 18 2012: Contending that genesis of complaints regarding election malpractices is due to use of mobile phone to take photographs of the voters at polling stations and inept handling of the device, some social activists favoured punitive action against the clumsy polling personnel rather than conduct repoll.

Interacting with newspersons at Hotel New Airline at MG Avenue today, social activists Yangkhopao Haokip, Heenlien Gangte and Ngamkhosei Sontah expressing strong opposition against the election Commission of India's directive to hold repoll asserted that the ECI and Manipur's chief Electoral Officer would be held responsible in case undesired incidents occur during the said repoll.

Noting that repoll had been ordered following complaints of electoral malpractices at a number of polling stations, they opined that inefficiency of the polling personnel in handling Lemon mobile phone to take photograph of the voters is one of the main factors for the democratic exercise ending in a controversial manner at various polling stations.

As more problems during the repoll cannot be ruled out in addition to election in Manipur being a costly event it would have been more appropriate had the CEO ensured proper training of the polling personnel in handling the mobile phone camera instead of repeatedly imperilling the common people, expressed the trio.

Further opining that digital cameras should be have been used in the election process, Yangkhopao, Heenlien and Ngamkhosei said their opposition to the possibility of repoll in Manipur has also been presented in detail in the form of a joint memorandum to the ECI.

While appreciating the ECI's move of photographing each and every voter while casting their votes, they regretted that the path-breaking measure of the election Commission has been reduced to a mockery here in Manipur due to amateurish approach of the State's election authorities.

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