Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 22 2009:
Polling officers at many polling stations today had a hard time dealing with situations arising out of voters turning up to cast their votes in the election for Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency without necessary Photo Identity Cards (PIC) issued by the
authority.
A team of media persons who went round the constituency found that at many polling stations, the polling officers were facing the same problem.
A number of voters turned up to cast their rightful votes but without Photo Identity Cards issued by the authority.
They insisted that they be allowed to cast vote because they are the bona fide citizens, voters and specially inhabitants of the local area, they argued.
However, as the rules provide many options for allowing a bona fide voter to cast his/her vote, the voter concerned must produce other alternative of identification.
Yet many voters could not produce the alternative means of identification.
Thus arguments arose prompting the polling officers to consider the genuine cases, it was noticed.
The polling officers said, they were trying to solve such cases on special considerations.
A hint of concern in their tone could be easily felt.