IMPHAL: The election commission of India (ECI) has meticulously outlined plans for establishing Special Polling Stations (SPSs) to facilitate the voting process for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Manipur.
Manipur is scheduled to go to the polls in two phases on April 19 and April 26.
A special meeting, chaired by the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Manipur, Pradeep Kumar Jha, was convened at the conference hall of the Manipur CEO on Tuesday (March 19), to strategize and prepare for the participation of IDPs in the electoral process.
The meeting, attended by all District Election Officers (DEOs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs), also assessed the overall readiness for the forthcoming elections.
In light of communal tensions between the Meities and Kukis in Manipur, which have led to over 61,000 individuals seeking refuge in various relief camps across the state, the government is taking measures to ensure their voting rights are upheld.
During the meeting, the Manipur CEO provided comprehensive briefings to the DEOs and SPs on various crucial aspects, including the training of poll personnel, deployment strategies, and security arrangements to ensure the seamless execution of the electoral process.
The DEOs and SPs, in turn, shared their insights and requirements for conducting the election smoothly in their respective districts.
Additionally, representatives from different national and state political parties engaged in discussions during a separate session led by the CEO to address pertinent issues and concerns related to the upcoming elections.
The review meeting, attended by additional CEO N Praveen Singh, state police nodal officer, joint CEOs, and other state nodal officers, underscored the collaborative efforts aimed at ensuring fair, transparent, and efficient electoral proceedings in Manipur.