CEO spells out poll plans Decks cleared to monitor all aspects of poll process
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 12 2014: In line with the election Commission of India (ECI) directives, various committees to monitor election expenditures and media coverage of poll campaigns have been set up in addition to official process initiated for transfer of top district and sub-divisional level officials from their present place of posting, informed Chief electoral Officer (CEO) O Nabakishore at a weekly media briefing held today.

Affirming that State election officials would strictly follow instructions of the ECI and transfers of DCs/SPs and SDOs would be effected who had been posted or rendering services consecutively for more than three years in a place, the CEO said live web-casting of the polling process have been arranged for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, which is likely to be held in the State in two phases.

CEO O Nabakishore addressing the media and inset an EVM

Along with constitution of State level Election Expenditure Monitoring Committee, election coordination as well media certification and monitoring committees have also been set up and necessary official process underway to guarantee secrecy of voting in the upcoming Parliamentary elections, said Nabakishore at the media briefing held at the DIPR Director's office chamber.

Aimed at curbing use of money power and other unfair practices at the time of election flying squads have been established and would be despatched/deployed to/in the districts, said the CEO who inspite of hinting at some loopholes in the past elections affirmed that focus would be on ensuring secrecy of voting in the upcoming democratic exercise likely to be conducted in the State next month.

Confiding that relevant measures for web-casting of the voting process from every polling stations have been taken up to ensure free and fair election, he said an interaction programme of political parties has been convened at Classic Hotel on February 24 as part of the poll preparations.

It is said that office of the ZEO has proposed to the ECI for holding the Parliamentary election in Manipur in two phases and added that the election may be held anytime in the next few months.

Regarding complaints about names of electors deleted wrongly from the electoral roll or in need of any rectification all concerned have been urged to submit Form-6 to the SDO concerned for perusal and fresh inclusion.

The CEO's office is conducting continuous updating exercise so that the final electoral roll for the Lok Sabha elections can be error free, Nabakishore affirmed adding he would be representing the State at a meeting convened by the ECI in New Delhi on February 20 .

Explaining on setting up of the media committee, the CEO said as pre-emptive measures against cases of paid news any political party or candidate should have the approval of the Committee without which advertisement in the media would be legally invalid.

Constitution of the Committee is in the final stage in Churachandpur district, he added.