94 special polling booths for IDPs
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 22 2024: A total of 94 special polling booths will be set up for those affected by the ethnic crisis in the state and are taking shelter in different relief centres, to vote at the relief camps in the upcoming 18th Lok Sabha election.

Due to the ethnic conflict which erupted on May 3 last year, a total of 50,000 people were rendered homeless and forced to take refuge in various relief camps across the state.

According to an official in the office of chief electoral officer, Manipur, Kangpokpi district will have the highest number of special polling stations at 24 followed by Bishnupur at 22, Churachandpur 15, Ukhrul and Tengnoupal four each, while Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Thoubal and Jiribam districts will have nine, eight, five, two and one special polling station respectively.

Out of nine special polling booths in Imphal East, five will be for the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency and the remaining four for the Outer seat.

Three numbers each of expenditure, general and police observers will oversee the election process in the state.

The expenditure observers have already arrived and started performing their duties.

Meanwhile, the expenditure observer for Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency appointed by the Election Commission of India, Pradhuman Badariprasad Meena and reviewed poll preparedness.

Badariprasad, who will oversee election expenditure of Lilong, Thoubal and Wangkhem ACs, was briefed by DEO/DC Thoubal A Subhash Singh regarding preparedness in the district, including flying squads, static surveillance teams, video surveillance teams, video monitoring committees and election expenditure committee.

The interactive meeting was also attended by nodal officer for expenditure monitoring, Meiringmei Agang Kabui (treasury officer, Thoubal); nodal officer for model code of conduct & nodal officer for observers, Kherdarianda Potsangbam (AC to DC, Thoubal); and nodal officer for media & member secretary of District Level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC), Tenshubam Sangeeta (DIO.

Thoubal, DIPR) .

Comment