Imphal, November 24 2009: The State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) today convened a meeting with the representatives of all political parties operating in the state at the conference hall of the Old Secretariat building.

The meeting discussed ways to make the ensuing bye-election to Yaiskul Assembly Constituency scheduled for Decmeber 19 a smoothly conducted one.

Before the meeting with the representatives of political parties was held, an official level meeting was held.

IG (Law and Order-I), SPs and DCs of both Imphal East and West districts, officials of PWD, PHED and Power Department participated in the meeting which started from 11 am.

At the meeting, state Chief Electoral Officer in-charge, N Pravin and Assistant CEO, K Bono elaborately described the roles to be taken by each department under the state government.

They informed the gathering that paramilitary forces will be used in the ensuing bye-election but details of the mode of security deployment at the polling stations will be decided after the finalization of the categorisation of hyper sensitive and sensitive polling stations.

Five unarmed personnel of the state police will also be deployed at the polling stations on the day of poll, the CEO in-charge informed.

The meeting with representatives of the political parties was started from 3 pm.

Representatives of Manipur People Party (MPP), Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), Janata Dal (JD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Janata Dal (Secular)-JDS attended the meeting.

Communist Party of India (CPI), the partner of Congress in the SPF ministry did not send its representative.

Representatives of the opposition parties unanimously observed during the meeting that people have less faith in casting votes using the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

They also urged the CEO in-charge to utilise only the central paramilitary forces in the bye-election, and guard the polling stations.

They also expressed doubt that the election would be held in a free and fair manner.

Clarifying the doubts on using EVM, the CEO in-charge, N Pravin said that people lacked proper knowledge in using the voting machine.

There is nothing to doubt, he said and appealed to the would be candidates in the bye-election to participate in the election process as per the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to avoid doubts.

EVMs will be used in all the 28 polling stations and another 15% of the required EVMs will be kept on reserve.

After the polling, the EVMs will be kept at a secure place arranged by the election authority, he informed.

Parvin also assured that District Election Officer (DEO), Returning Officer (RO) will be asked to keep equal views to the agents of all candidates contesting in the election.

Political parties also brought the matter of counting vote four day delay after poll stating that there is no reason for delaying the counting.

However, the CEO in-charge clarified that it was fixed considering if any re-poll be conducted.

He also assured of fair and smooth conduct of the election.

Election Commission of India announced the schedule for bye-elections to fill the casual vacancies in the Manipur Legislative Assembly on December 19 next with one each Assembly constituencies of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The seat of the Yaiskul Assembly constituency within the Imphal municipality area is lying vacant after the dead of seating Congress MLA, E Kunjeshwor in September last.

The notification for the bye-election will be issued tomorrow (November 25).The last date of making nominations is on December 2.Scrutiny of nominations is on next day while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is on December 5 .

The counting of the votes will be conducted on December 23 and the ECI is targeting to complete all election procedure by December 31.Representatives of Manipur People Party (MPP), Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), Janata Dal (JD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Janata Dal (Secular)-JDS attended the meeting.

Communist Party of India (CPI), the partner of Congress in the SPF ministry did not send its representative.

Representatives of the opposition parties unanimously observed during the meeting that people have less faith in casting votes using the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

They also urged the CEO in-charge to utilise only the central paramilitary forces in the bye-election, and guard the polling stations.

They also expressed doubt that the election would be held in a free and fair manner.

Clarifying the doubts on using EVM, the CEO in-charge, N Pravin said that people lacked proper knowledge in using the voting machine.

There is nothing to doubt, he said and appealed to the would be candidates in the bye-election to participate in the election process as per the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to avoid doubts.

EVMs will be used in all the 28 polling stations and another 15% of the required EVMs will be kept on reserve.

After the polling, the EVMs will be kept at a secure place arranged by the election authority, he informed.

Parvin also assured that District Election Officer (DEO), Returning Officer (RO) will be asked to keep equal views to the agents of all candidates contesting in the election.

Political parties also brought the matter of counting vote four day delay after poll stating that there is no reason for delaying the counting.

However, the CEO in-charge clarified that it was fixed considering if any re-poll be conducted.

He also assured of fair and smooth conduct of the election.

Election Commission of India announced the schedule for bye-elections to fill the casual vacancies in the Manipur Legislative Assembly on December 19 next with one each Assembly constituencies of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The seat of the Yaiskul Assembly constituency within the Imphal municipality area is lying vacant after the dead of seating Congress MLA, E Kunjeshwor in September last.

The notification for the bye-election will be issued tomorrow (November 25) .

The last date of making nominations is on December 2.Scrutiny of nominations is on next day while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is on December 5 .

The counting of the votes will be conducted on December 23 and the ECI is targeting to complete all election procedure by December 31 .

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