Many underaged persons found enrolled : CEO
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 22 2016: Despite clear instructions issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) that no underage persons should be enrolled in the voter list, many underaged young persons were found enrolled in many Assembly Constituencies of Thoubal district using fake birth certificates, stated Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vivek Kumar Dewangan in a press briefing held today at the Conference Hall of Manipur Secretariat, South Block, Imphal.

Altogether 910 voters who were underage were found to have enrolled in Thoubal district and necessary corrective action was taken up, he added.

The CEO's office has given clear instructions to all District Election Officers (DEOs) concerned and other officials that such discrepancies should be settled in a transparent manner and all efforts should be made to avoid such follies in future.

Many underaged persons found enrolled : CEO

As there is high concentration of such activities in Wangjing and Thoubal Assembly constituencies, the two Assembly segments have been put on the watch list.

All officials concerned of Thoubal district have been put on high alert to prevent such wrongful enrolment, he said.

During a video conference held with ECI and District Election Officers (DEOs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) on Special Summary Revision-2017, Security Plan and Poll Preparedness, all the DEOs and SPs were instructed to complete all preparations within the stipulated time line.

The DEOs and SPs should prepare action plan by November 25 to ensure submission of licensed weapons in a time bound manner before the Assembly elections.

In all the 2794 polling stations across the State, live webcast will be done where 3G internet connection is available whereas CCTV would be installed at the other polling stations where 3G is not available, the CEO added.

He further said that there are strict instructions that any malpractice from any officials will be dealt severely.

In case any untoward incidents happen on the day of poll, there will be re-poll at the earliest possible date.

Further, Additional CEO Hrisheekesh Arvind Modak stated that the CEO office has initiated steps to launch awareness campaign for ethical voting and some DEOs have taken the lead in educating the masses.

Additional CEO RK Dinesh said all EPIC cards for newly enrolled voters would be distributed by December 31 .

The media briefing was also attended by other officials of the Election Department.

Earlier taking part in the meeting on special summary revision of photo electoral rolls and preparations for the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly election, NCP MLA L Ibomcha stated that the ongoing revision of electoral rolls in the hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong etc is a futile exercise.

He said that a team of ECI should visit remote areas of these districts for physical verification.

It would be almost impracticable to hold elections in the hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong etc even after six months due to the prevailing law and order situation in the said districts.

NSCN-IM, regardless of its negotiations with the Centre, continues to 'levy taxes', a euphemism for rampant extortion, from all categories of people including Government officials.

The ECI should verify the ground reality of the prevailing law and order situation in these districts before announcing the date of election.

If the elections are to be held in these districts within the next two/three months, there would be no real election but there will only be selection of candidates, supported and sponsored by NSCN-IM and other militant groups as most of the polling booths would be captured by the militant groups, Ibomcha said.

Pointing out that bogus and proxy votings were abundantly practised in Manipur, the NCP MLA highlighted the need to take up stringent actions against such widespread electoral malpractices.