A training programme for women personnel to be deployed as presiding officers and polling officers under Imphal East District was held at the district office complex at Porompat on Monday, official sources said.
The training for the presiding officers and polling officers were held separately.
Deputy commissioner Dr Rangitabali Waikhom of the Imphal East district who is also the district election officer monitored the training and took enquiries from the participating personnel, the source said.
District nodal officer Lokeshor Brahmacharimayum of Training Management conducted the training and demonstrated the usage of EVMs and VVPATs to the participants. Later, the women personnel had a hands-on trial of the equipment.
It is believed that the step was taken up to materialize the plan of introducing ‘all women’ polling stations in the ensuing 17th Lok Sabha elections in Manipur for the first time.
The office of the chief electoral officer of Manipur is planning to introduce close to 300 ‘all women’ polling stations out of 2862 for the first time in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the State which will go to polls on April 11 and 18 next to elect two Lok Sabha MPs.
Interestingly two Assembly constituencies – one each in Imphal East district and Churachandpur district will be manned by only women poll personnel.
In another development, accessibility observer for the coming Lok Sabha Election, 2019 general observer Rajeev Sharma, principal secretary J C Ramthanga of Government of Manipur, and police observer Santosh Gaur visited polling stations in Bishnupur district on Monday.
The accessibility observer team accompanied by district election officer Pawan Yadav, ADC Nitu Singh and ARO Kapajit Singh of Bishnupur inspected several polling stations and suggested improvements needed for better accessibility for the persons with disabilities.
They also visited different polling stations in the district with the concerned AROs. They also visited Karang Village along with ARO Linda Ningombam of Thanga, block level officers and had interaction with the locals present there.