Imphal, March 30 2009: The State Election authority has decided to keep 15 percent of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) extra above the required number in all the district headquarters even as another poll observer deputed by the Election Commission of India arrived here today.

Meanwhile, 22 officers of the Manipur government have been appointed as election observers by the ECI for deputation to the other states of the country, official source said.

State election authority has decided to keep 15 percent extra EVMs over the number of polling stations in all the district election officers' office as per instruction of the ECI received by the state election authorities on March 4 last, official source said today.

Accordingly the district-wise numbers of EVMs to be used have been chalked out and kept reserved, the source said.

As per the chalked numbers of EVMs kept which would be kept reserved are 367 EVMs for the Imphal east district (without Jiribam sub-division), 424 for the Imphal west, 220 for Bishnupur, 342 for Thoubal, 140 for Chandel, 189 for Ukhrul, 206 for Senapati (without Kangpokpi sub-division), 150 for Tamenglong, 284 for Churachandpur, 162 for Kangpokpi and 41 for the Jiribam.

All the Deputy Commissioners who are also acting as District Electoral Officers (DEOs) have also been asked to maintained protocol for first level checking of the EVMs.

They have also been asked to prepared and kept in readiness for randomization of the database of the ballot units and control units, it said.

The randomization of software should be done as per ECI guidelines.

EVMs should be keep with strict vigil on their accounts by the DEOs in their stocks and safety are to be ensured as it's the property of the ECI.

Responsible of any lapses on the counts will be fixed on them.

On the other hand with one more poll observers arrived today Imphal, three poll observers have been stationed in the state for looking after the electioneering of the political parties and contesting candidates in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency.

Observer DVRV Prasad who will be looking after Tamenglong and Jiribam (a sub-division of Imphal east district included in the Outer constituency) arrived today in Imphal.

He will base at Tamenglong district headquarters.

Other observers SR Brahmane and A Koteswara Rao had already arrived in the state yesterday and started their duty as poll observers.

SR Brahmane who arrived yesterday by air has proceeded to Senapati district where he would be based and look after the election arrangement as well electioneering of political parties in Senapati (including Kangpopki) and Ukhrul.

Fourth observers C Somasekhara who will look after Churachnadpur district of the outer seat will also arrived at Imphal soon.

His visit programme is yet to intimated by the ECI to the state till date.

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