CEC shares plans for free and fair poll
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 14 2011: To check use of black-money in the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly election, movement of individuals and items at all the air, railways and bus stations would be closely monitored, asserted Chief Election Commissioner of India Dr SY Quraishi.

The CEC informed on the arrangement for the State Assembly polls, likely to be conducted in February next year, while speaking to newspersons at the Old Secretariat conference hall soon after arrival here along with election Commissioners DS Sampath and HS Bramha.

Informing that as part of the Election Commission of India's pro-active mechanism to curb use of blackmoney in election, a separate division to monitor election-related expenditure has already been established, the CEC attributed setting up such a mechanism for the seizure of Rs 74 crore unaccounted money from various sources when election was recently conducted in five States, including Bihar.

Disclosing that the Commission had prepared mapping of trouble-prone areas for which polling stations likely to see high turnout of voters in the range of 90 percent would be closely monitored to check double-voting or rigging, the CEC said equal emphasis is being given to polling stations with history of poor voting trend in order to ascertain whether such a low turn-out is due to threats.

CEC SY Quraishi with his team addresses the media

for ensuring free and fair polling at remote places and sensitive polling stations the entire proceedings would be video recorded (live web-casting), said Dr Quraishi while informing that the Union Home Ministry has been intimated for adequate deployment of central para-military force personnel at such places.

He further stated that it would be mandatory for candidates to open separate bank account for the specific amount of money to be used in the upcoming election, which will also witness for the first time usage of voter's slip.

While conveying that political organisations have suggested conducting the State assembly election in a single phase to check double voting mal-practices, besides alleging that sitting MLAs had been diverting local MLA Development Fund in election-related activities, Dr Quraishi affirmed that the Commission is closely scrutinising all the suggestions/complaints.

When queried how the Commission will able to purposefully execute its plan for live web-casting at remote areas where there are neither electricity or telecommunication facility, he said the matter would be discussed with the Telecom Ministry.

If the need arise, telecom service network/facility of the Assam Rifles could be utilised, the CEC added.

when pointed out that some candidates had been insisting upon the electors to pledge their support at sacred places or in front of deities, Dr Quraishi said such a practice, if any, is totally prohibited after the official election code of conduct is issued.

With regard to the recent incident of disruption caused to a meeting of BJP at Thoubal district, he conceded that the Commission could not initiate any action for the model code of conduct is yet to be proclaimed.

Prior to departure of the CEC delegation, a joint meeting attended by the Chief Secretary, DGP and Commissioner (Home) is scheduled tomorrow.

Meanwhile, an informed source conveyed that for polling stations where possibility of live web-casting would be remote, verification of electors would be through installation of cameras at the polling stations concerned and checking the individual voter with the details entered in the electoral rolls.