Manipur Gets Into Election Mode

By Sobhapati Samom

Imphal, Dec 27 : Election-related activities of political parties in Manipur has begun with the launch of house-to-house poll campaign yesterday.

The State has suddenly gone into election mode after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the poll schedule for Manipur on January 28 next.

Chief Electoral Officer PC Lawmkunga told the media today that Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) will be used in the forthcoming Assembly poll.

So far, more than 98 per cent of the voters have been issued the EPIC, he said and appealed to those who are yet to get the EPIC to submit their photographs within January 5.

The officer also informed that besides the existing State forces, around 325 companies of Central paramilitary forces will be deployed during the ensuing polls.

Street junctions here have been decorated with flags, etc., of the political parties as the aspiring candidates began to open their election booth offices.

The last date for filing nominations is January 11 while the scrutiny and last date of withdrawal of candidatures is January 12 and 14 respectively, as per ECI notification.

With 30 MLAs in the house of 60, Congress is steering Manipur’s Secular Progressive Front Ministry in its second innings with CPI as its lone partner.

Manipur People’s Party President Dr Nimaichand Luwang said the party will release a 10-page brief history of the party today.

Meanwhile, the People’s Campaign for Assembly Election with an objective to hold the political class accountable to the electors will hold a day-long public deliberation on “Towards Public Issue Based Election” at Manipur Press Club hall here on December 26.

A total of 16,77,270 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 2,325 polling booths. The counting will be done on March 4.

PTI adds: Unlike in the past, expenditure of candidates for the Manipur Assembly elections would be closely monitored by the IT department, officials said today.

About 55 officials from Directorate of Income Tax would arrive here in the next few days to oversee expenditures and excesses of poll candidates.

The officials would work in groups and shall be deployed at all district headquarters to do their monitoring work.

Chief Election Commissioner S Y Qurashi had directed candidates to open new bank accounts for making all poll- related payments.