Imphal: All the candidates who have filed
nomination papers for the January 28 Manipur assembly election
have been provided adequate security and police instructed to
intensify patrolling and beef up security in the state, Chief
Electoral Officer (CEO) PC Lawmkunga said on Saturday.
Lawmkung told reporters that those who have filed
nomination papers have been provided adequate security guards
and the DGP R Baral has instructed all the Superintendents of
police (SP) to step up patrolling besides frisking and
checking of people to detect movement of armed ultras who
wanted to disrupt the poll process.
The CEO said there would be video coverage at all the
polling stations and photographs of those who cast their votes
would be taken after his or her casting the votes.
The photographs of those who cast votes would be verified
with the photos in electoral rolls, Lawmkung said adding
arrangements have been to detect this by `photograph matching
software.`
The CEO said para-military forces would guard all the
polling stations besides patrolling at various places along
with the state police, saying that the authorities would
create a situation where voters would have no fear to exercise
their franchise.
"We will be able to contain the activities of the
insurgents who are trying to disturb the poll process by
exploding and hurling grenades at the houses of candidates
particularly Congress and their supporters," Lawmkunga said.
The CEO said out of 350 companies of security personnel
including 280 companies Central forces which have been
sanctioned by the Election Commission for the assembly
election about 200 companies have already arrived in the
state.
He said all the 200 companies have been despatched to all
the districts and instructed to work closely with state police
forces.
Manipur has nine districts - four in the valley (Imphal
East, Imphal West, Bishenpur and Thoubal) and five in the
hills (Chandel, Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Churachandpur and
Senapati).
The CEO said the remaining companies of the paramilitary
forces would reach the state in the next few days.
Meanwhile, the coordination committee of seven major
insurgent outfits who have been targeting Congress candidates
and supporters because they (Congress) were against what
they called `revolutionary movement`, said in a statement
"that they would give `capital punishment` to those who
supported the Congress before or after the elections."
PTI
