TODAY -
Poll preparations inch forward
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 02: With the State set to go to the polls in three phases next month, Election Commissioner, B Navin Chawla arrived at Imphal today and Chief Election Commissioner S Gopalswami and Commissioner Dr YS Quereishi are expected to arrive tomorrow and meet leaders of different political parties.

Even as the EC team has started arriving here, Union Home Secretary VK Duggal is scheduled to arrive tomorrow to take stock of the law and order situation and a meeting of the Strategic Operations Group will be convened at the complex of 1st MR.Talking to The Sangai Express an official source said that though the whole EC team led by S Gopalswami was scheduled to arrive today, unexpected developments led to the arrival of only Navin Chawla today.

The CEC and the other Commissioner, Dr YS Quereishi will arrive tomorrow, added the source.

The earlier programme charted out to meet representatives of different political parties was cancelled and instead the EC team headed by its CEC will meet them tomorrow.

Soon after arriving at Imphal, Election Commissioner Navin B Chawla accompanied by the State Electoral Officer RR Rashmi went to Bishnupur to take stock of the preparations being made there for the upcoming election.

Chawla and Rashmi also met the Deputy Commissioner of Bishnupur district to discuss the preparations being taken up.

CEC N Gopalswami and Commissioner Dr Quereishi will arrive in different flights tomorrow and soon their arrival they are scheduled to meet representatives of different political parties at the Old Secretariat.

The EC team will meet the representatives of the different political parties separately and seek their opinion and suggestions.

On Thursday, a joint meeting of DIGs, DCs, and SPs will be held in the morning and this will be followed by another meeting which will be attended by the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, DGP, Commissioners and Secretaries.

The Strategic Operations Group meeting with the EC team will then be held later at the 1st MR complex.

The EC team is also scheduled to address the media after the SOG meeting before leaving, said the source.

On the other hand a high level team led by the Union Home Secretary, VK Duggal is scheduled to hold a meeting with the Strategic Operations Group at the Banquet Hall of 1st MR after their arrival here.

The Central team will review the law and order situation ahead of the polls and take stock of the security measures being taken up for the election.

The meeting will be attended by a host of top ranking civil, police and military officers.

The officers include the Director of the Intelligence Bureau PC Haldar, Joint Secretary (NE) Navin Verma, DG (AR) Paramjit, Additional DG (CRPF) NR Das and a representative from the Directorate of Military Affairs, said the source.

Other Officers who will attend the meeting include the Chief Secretary, DGP, ADGP, GOC of 57 Mountain Division, IG AR (South), AIG (CRPF) and DIG (BSF).

The Union Home Secretary is also scheduled to meet Governor DR SS Sidhu and Chief Minister O Ibobi during his stay here.





SPONSORED ADS