CEO elaborates steps taken up for assembly elections
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, January 20 2022: Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajesh Agrawal informed that office of the CEO would regularly update the status of preparedness for the upcoming 12th assembly elections by holding press meets thrice a week.

Speaking to media persons at the CEO conference hall on Thursday, Rajesh Agrawal highlighted steps taken up by the election machineries for smooth conduct of the upcoming polls.

While stating that the thrice-a-week media briefing including every Thursday will include two addresses by CEO officials, he also informed that in format Cl and C2 candidates and political parties respectively should publish and broadcast of Criminal Antecedents.

The formats can be published in newspapers on three occasions and in one of the local TV channel networks.

The CEO further stated that political parties shall also publish information regarding individuals with pending criminal cases, who have been selected as candidates, along with reasons for such selection, as also to why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as candidates in Format C7 in the one of national papers, in addition to publication in local newspapers, websites and social media accounts of political parties.

Rajesh Agrawal said that so far a total of 54,321 defacement in government, public properties and unauthorised defacement in private properties has been identified and corrected.

Active 15 enforcement agencies have opened the control rooms and till now in a large scale had managed to seize Rs 50 lakh of cash, Rs 14 lakh worth liquor, Rs 26.55 crore worth drugs and Rs 1.41 crore worth other items as gold.

Under various sections of CrPC, the Superintendents of Police of different districts have bound down 1430 persons.

Further, more than 15,000 licensed firearm have been deposited at police stations in view of the ensuing elections.

He expressed that strict enforcement from the police has enabled to contain the pre-poll violence in the state.

Rajesh further shared the COVID norms to be followed as issued by the ECI.

He reminded that the ban on road show, pad-yatra, cycle/bike/vehicle rally and procession has been extended till January 22 .

Indoor meeting is allowed with a maximum participants of 50 as fixed by SDMA.

Each political party/candidate shall furnish an undertaking in the application form under Suvidha that it shall abide by all the extant instructions/guidelines in regard to COVID norms.

He also said that election, polling and counting agents without double dose vaccination shall not be allowed and added that no rallies and public meetings shall be allowed in between 8 pm and 8 am.

Meeting will not be allowed on public roads, roundabouts or public streets or corners.

Further, political parties and candidates are advised to conduct their campaign as much as possible through digital/virtual/media platforms/mobile based mode instead of physical mode ensuring strict compliance of COVID safety norms, he said.

CEO Rajesh also stated that a maximum of five persons including candidate, excluding security personnel, if any, shall be allowed for Door to Door Campaign.

The convoy of vehicles shall be broken after every five vehicles and interval between two sets of convoys of vehicles should be half an hour instead of gap of 100 metres.

The maximum number of star campaigners for recognised national/state political parties has been fixed to 30 and for unrecognised political parties to 15 .

He also said to ensure that all necessary safety arrangements are made, request for permission for campaign by star campaigners may be submitted at least 48 hours before the start of campaign.

No victory procession after the counting shall be allowed and not more than two persons shall be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or authorised representative to receive the certificate of election from returning officer.

If a candidate or political party violates any given guidelines, no further permission shall be given to the concerned candidate/party for rallies, meetings, he cautioned.

ECI has revised the Abstract Statement of Election Expenses due to increasing trend of virtual campaigning.

Candidates are required to lodge Abstract Statement of Election Expenses along with their day to day Account Register within 30 days of declaration of results.

Recognised political parties has to submit their Abstract Statement of Election Expenditure to ECI within 75 days of completion of election whereas unrecognised political parties are to submit their statement to CEO within 75 days of completion of election; he added.

The CEO further stated that the ECI has discontinued Photo Voter Slip as an identity proof with effect from February 28, 2019 .

For identification at polling station, voters shall present their EPIC or any other mode of identification card including Aadhaar Card, MNREGA Job Card, Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office, Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of ministry of Labour, Driving License, PAN Card, Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR, Indian Passport, Pension document with photograph, Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by central/state governments/PSUs/Public Limited Companies or official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs.

Earlier, the chief electoral officer also held a meeting with representatives of recognised national and state political parties as a part of the weekly meeting to discuss on matters related to elections to the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

During the meeting, Rajesh Agrawal informed that a New Symbol Loading Units would be used for the first time in all 60 assembly constituencies of the state and added that first randomisation of EVMs is going on with the involvement of political parties.

Explainer videos on EVM/VVPAT familiarisation had also been extensively shared through digital mode, he added.

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