BJP, Thoubal NGO claim goof-up in Thoubal AC poll rolls
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 02 2011: Bharatiya Janata Party Manipur Pradesh and Thoubal Kendra Kanba Lup have jointly urged the Chief election Commissioner of India to rectify anomalies in the electoral rolls of 13-Thoubal Assembly Constituency.

Speaking to newspersons at its Nityaipat Chuthek office today, State unit BJP vice president S Tikendra, who is also the party spokesperson disclosed that the joint representation pointed out insertion of deceased persons and women voters settled in other places after marriage in the electoral rolls of the assembly constituency, from where Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh was elected and will be contesting the forthcoming assembly election.

Highlighting that after a month long exercise, electoral roll re-checking and verification process was completed on October 29 as part of the ECI's initiative for free and fair polling, he claimed that names of deceased persons as well as women married to other assembly constituencies were found included in most of the electoral roll falling under Thoubal AC having a total of 37 polling stations.

When booth level agents on behalf of Thoubal Kendra Kanba Lup approached district officers and booth level officers of Thoubal district Returning Officer for public hearing so that anomalies could be rectified, the former officials had been non-committal citing one reason or the other, the BJP spokesperson maintained while opining that such indifferent attitude seem to be intentional to invalidate the rectification process.

Accusing the district level officials of resorting to delaying tactics at the behest of the State Government, Tikendra said the ECI has been urged to ensure that there is respect from all concerned to the democratic principle of free and fair elections.

with regard to the economic blockade imposed on the national highways that connect Manipur to other parts of the country, he said the agitation demanding Sadar Hills district and opposition to the same demand testify all-round failure of the Government of Manipur.

Rather than solve the problem at hand on priority basis delaying the matter has only aggravated the situation with the end result being suffering of the common people, he expressed while condemning lack of initiative by the Central Government to mitigate problems besieging people of Manipur.

Referring to the recent detention of Works Minister K Ranjit by agitation supporters as total failure of the State machinery, particularly at the district level, Tikendra asserted that reluctance of both the State and Central Government to bring an amicable solution to the Sadar Hills district issue substantiate the masses' apprehension that sinister attempts are being made to divide the people on ethnic lines.

According to booth level agent of 1/31 Thoubal Moijing polling booth Md Rahman names of various deceased persons were found included in the electoral roll with similar cases of married women as well as names of some individuals repeated at separate polling stations.

Blaming district election officials of duty negligence, 12/31 booth level agent Th Deven said he detected instances of deceased elderly citizens still alive in the electoral rolls in addition to about 38 cases of voters enlisted without mentioning their home addresses or married women listed among family members of their parental homes.

Another startling revelation pointed by Deven relate to detection of minors as young as four years old in the electoral roll.

Irregularities in the electoral roll pointed out by another agent (31/37) Th Ibungo relates to non mentioning of surnames even as Indira Oinam, who will be contesting the forthcoming elections from Thoubal AC, claimed lack of clarity on the antecedents of over 2000 voters.

While expressing confidence that the Election Commission of India will soon intervene to root out anomalies in the electoral rolls, she also sought cooperation of Thoubal AC electorates expect to root out all forms of mal-practice from Manipur in general and Thoubal district in particular.

The joint memorandum also proposed to the ECI for transfer/posting of DOs and BLOs, who are residents of Thoubal, to other places.

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