Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 25:
The initiative of the State Election Department to take photographs of voters is heading towards a total failure as there are reports of unidentified persons confiscating cameras from different localities since the same exercise was launched a few days back.
It is unlikely that the officials of Election Department will be able to continue taking photographs of voters as there is no halt on the part of the unidentified persons in snatching cameras from the officials.
Even then, there is no intimation from the Election Department to the Home Department to provide security for the photo exercise.
Today too, while the election officials were taking photographs of voters of 13/12 polling station under Singjamei A/C in Chingamakha High School, two unidentified youths snatched a digital camera (Sony model no 1024797) and a mobile phone handset (Nokia 1600) at gun point.
The incident took place at about 7.30 in the morning.
The team of Election Department officials was led by one Deputy Supervisor BLO Mahendra.
Earlier on June 23, a camera was also snatched by some unidentified persons under similar circumstances at Thongju part II.
On the other hand, some police officials maintained that the photo exercise being taken up by the Election Department under the directive of the Election Commission of India is nothing but giving away cameras to unidentified persons.
Till date, 11 cameras have been snatched by unidentified persons from different places of Imphal West and Imphal East districts including Jiribam..