Rs.10 lakh each to deceased polling personnel
Repoll likely in 12 polling stations of hill districts
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 29, 2012: The Chief Election Commissioner has directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur to immediately hand over a sum of Rs 10 lakh each to the four polling personnel who were among the seven persons killed in a shoot out inside a small polling booth that ensued between suspected cadres of NSCN-IM and poll security personnel at Chakpikarong in Chandel district of Manipur yesterday.

Speaking to Hueiyen Lanpao, K Bono, Assistant Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur, said that the amount which is to be paid to the four deceased polling personnel is to be made from the election related expenditures of the account of Chief Election Officer.

Though the Chief Election Commissioner has provided immediate relief to the deceased polling personnel but there is no mention about any kind of relief to be rendered to the other three persons killed in the incident.

One CRPF personnel and two civilians were also killed in the shoot out.

He also pointed out that the reason behind the Chief Election Commissioner not mentioning any relief for the CRPF personnel may be because of the fact that the Ministry of Home Affairs will be providing the deceased CRPF personnel with certain relief measures under its special strategies.

As for the deceased civilians, the state government will be providing them with relief under its ex gratia policy.

The four deceased polling personnel were Presiding Officer Khumukcham Ibotombi (50), s/o late Kh Kamal Singh of Kakching Khunnou Ngaikhong Leikai, polling personnel Kshetrimayum Premjit (50) s/o Ksh Biramangol of Kakching Turel Wangma, Adim Rongmei (50) of Lilong Chaobok and polling peon S Rakesh alias Ukuchung of Chandel Khullen.

According to reports from the State Election Office, it has been revealed that although election was held in all the 60 Assembly Constituencies of the state cases of booth capturing, vandalizing of EVMs, and other election related crimes have been reported in some polling stations in the hill districts of the state and it is likely that repoll will be done in some polling stations, though the exact number of polling stations has not been finalized till the filling of this report.

The report further revealed that till now polling personnel of 15 polling stations have not reached the district headquarters.

The polling stations include 6 from Tamenglong district and nine from Churachandpur district.

These polling personnel and the EVMs will be brought to their respective district headquarters tomorrow morning via helicopter.

Since the EVMs from these polling stations have not reached their respective district head quarters, the exact number of polling stations where there will be re-poll cannot be ascertain at the moment.

But it is most likely that re-poll will be conducted in 12 polling stations.

But no re-poll will be carried out in any of the 40 assembly constituencies in the valley districts.

It has also been reported that no application has been made available to the Chief Election Commission in connection to re-poll from the State Election office.

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