Imphal, April 09 2009: Election Commission of India will dealt people who violet code of conduct during the 15th Lok Sabha elections with "zero tolerance" and "no excuse", said Election Commissioner, SY Quraishi speaking at a press conference held at the conference hall of the Old Secretariat here.

Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi accompanied by Deputy Election Commissioner Alok Shukla arrived here in Imphal today to review the election preparedness and arrangements taking up by the state election authorities for the smooth and fair conduct of the same.

After night halt here, the visiting commissioner will leave for further visit in Nagaland tomorrow to review election preparations in the state, official sources said here.

Quaraishi further said out of the 17,35,982 electors eligible for casting vote in Manipur 77.39 percent are voters who captured images which would be used their photo electoral card in the ensuing elections.

These total voters will go on poll in 2193 which will be opened across state.

The polling stations have been increased by 132 from the previous election, he said.

Election identity cards will be used at the time of casting vote, Quraishi reiterated adding that the ECI arrange it for a free and fair elections adding other documents which the elector can be identified can also be use by those who did not capture their image during the photo electoral role campaign.

He also said that election authorities can taken up sou-motto cases against any violation of the code of conduct based on media reports even though there was no written complaint regarding the violation of the code of conduct.

On the polling day apart from covering the whole process with video, micro observers will be detailed in as many as 25% of the polling stations which are consider to be critical polling booths.

Micro observers are to be appointed from group B and C among the government or public servants.

Replying to question raised by reporters, Quraishi said firings and blasting of bombs reported in the state is off normal practice and security forces are dealing well.

He was satisfied with the security arrangement taken up for the poll, he added.

Responding to the complaints placed by the recognized national and regional political parties with regard to the use of government vehicles and machineries during the election campaign, the election commissioner said ECI will not allowed violation of code of conduct of the elections.

He also said that restriction under section 144 of the CrPC will be promulgate to the poling stations as per the prevailing conditions at the polling stations and SPs and DEOs have been directed to take up necessary measure and act on accordingly, he added.

Before the press conference, as soon as they arrived here, the election commissioner and his deputy held two rounds of meeting with the officials of the state government engaging in the elections to be held in two phases on April 16 and April 22 .

The first meeting was held with the district level officers of the state.

The meeting reviewed on the preparedness at the district level.

Deputy Commissioners of nine districts of Manipur and superintendents of police attended the meeting which state chief electoral officer (CEO) and his subordinate staffs also attended.

Most importantly, the meeting review on the deployment of security personnel to the identified hypersensitive and sensitive polling stations.

Mention may be made that out of 2193 polling stations across the state, state election authorities has identified 554 of them as hypersensitive while 1305 them as sensitive.

Another round of meeting with the state chief secretary Rakesh was also held in which concern top brasses of the state home and police department took part.

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