ECI team to visit state on Feb 7: CEO
'17,187 license arm deposited, rs 78.02 cr worth items seized'
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 03 2022:
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manipur Rajesh Agrawal has informed that officials of Election Commission of India (ECI) would be visiting Manipur on February 7 to review the poll preparedness for the ensuing 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly election.
Addressing media persons at the conference hall of Office of CEO, Lamphelpat here on Thursday, Rajesh Agrawal said the ECI officials will hold meeting with the chief secretary, Director General of Police, CEO, State Police Nodal Officer, DG Assam Rifles, recognised national/state political parties, District Election Officers, Superintendents of Police and enforcement agencies.
The CEO further stated that election notifications for first phase had, already been issued by all Returning Officers (RO) on February 1, while the notifications for second phase will be issued on February 4 .
He said that candidates shall open separate bank accounts for incurring expenditure in the current general elections.
With regard to publication of criminal antecedents of the candidates, Rajesh Agarwal stated that so far, BJP had published Format C-7 for 13 candidates having criminal antecedents while Indian National Congress has published the same for 11 candidates.
He also reiterated that political parties should publish Format C-7 for selecting candidates having criminal antecedents within 48 hours of selection of candidates and compliance in Format C-8 should also be furnished to ECI/CEO within 72 hours of selection of such candidates.
Furthermore, candidates having criminal antecedents should also publish declaration in Format C-l and report compliance to RO immediately in three occasions (from the last date of withdrawal of candidature till 2 days before poll) - in national newspapers, local newspapers, TV channels as specified/identified by CEO.
Candidates should also file Revised Abstract Statement of Election Expenses and the same has been circulated to all ROs and all political parties, he added.
The CEO also informed that an Android based mobile app called Voter Facilitator App had been developed by IT Cell of CEO, Manipur.
The App will have three important features including information on average queue waiting time, wheelchair service booking facility and Postal Ballot opting service facility using his/her mobile conveniently from the comfort of his/her home by normal voters, 80-plus voters and PwD category voters.
Rajesh Agrawal then mentioned that permission for meeting, door to door campaigning should be obtained from District Election Officers in advance.
Outdoor physical meeting is allowed for up to 1000 people or 50 per cent of the capacity of the ground or prescribed limit set by SDMA whichever is lesser while for indoor meeting the attendees would be limited to 500 people or 50 per cent of the capacity of the hall.
Additionally, each political party/candidate shall furnish an undertaking in the application form (under Suvidha) that they shall abide by all the extant instructions/guidelines in place for containing Covid-19.Between 8 pm and 8 am, no rallies and public meetings (akin to campaign curfew) shall be allowed on any campaign day, he added.
Mentioning that political parties shall furnish Star Campaigners' list with number restricted to 30 for recognised parties and 20 for registered unrecognised political parties, he said that only Shiv Sena has submitted its list of Star Campaigners so far.
He pointed out that request for permission for campaign by star campaigners may be submitted to the authority concerned at least 48 hours before the start of campaign to make all necessary safety arrangements.
Stating that 9 Auxiliary polling stations had been created in addition to the 2959 polling stations, he informed that the total number of polling stations is now 2968.He then said that altogether 3985 requests for postal ballots have been received, out of which 773 are from PwD voters and 3212 from 80+ voters.
He also stated that dispersal of polling personnel for 330 polling stations would start from P-2 and for 35 polling stations P-3, located in far flung areas of Churachandpur, Chandel, Ukhrul and Tamenglong.
In all, 18 Intermediate Strong Rooms have been identified for keeping EVMs by the Polling Personnel of the above polling stations, he conveyed.
Regarding Law & Order and Seizure, the CEO informed that about 17,187 i.e, 74.8 per cent of total license arms (22,957) had been deposited and certain items, including cash, drugs, liquor, gold and others, amounting to Rs 78 crore had been seized till date.
He further informed that 50 companies of Central Armed Police Force had been deployed in the State and more 75 Companies will be arriving in the next two weeks.
Mentioning about the Election Observers' issue, he stated that a total of 20 General Observers, 11 Police Observers, 20 Expenditure Observers and 3 Special Observers namely Special General Observer Pravir Krishna, IAS (Retd); Special Police Observer Arun Kumar, IPS (Retd) and Special Expenditure Observer Rajesh Tuteja, Ex IRS (IT) will soon visit the state.
The CEO also stressed that children should not be used for election" process, like campaigning, carrying of campaigning material and all political parties/candidates should comply with ECI Instructions on the matter.
He added that Pre certification by MCMC is mandatory for publication of political advertisements in newspapers on poll day and one day prior to poll by political parties/candidates.
Further, manifestoes are not to be released during prohibitory period (last 48 hours before the close of poll) in both phases as prescribed under Section 126 of the RPA, 1951 .
The press briefing was also attended by Additional CEO N Praveen Singh, Joint CEO Ramananda Nongmeikapam, State Nodal Officer (Media) W Phajatombi Devi and officials concerned.
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