Imphal, April 21 2009: THERE IS a security concern as Manipur will go to the polls tomorrow for the second phase polling of the 15th Lok Sabha elections for the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency.

In all, 8, 23,539 voters in 32 constituencies are set to seal the fate of the seven candidates in 970 polling stations, however amidst security concerns.

While the Congress has fielded its sitting Member of Parliament, Dr Th Meinya as its candidate, the BJP has fielded the former Chief Minister, W Nipamacha as its candidate.

The CPI has fielded Dr M Nara and the MPP has put up the former Union Minister, Th Chaoba of the Manipur Democratic Alliance (MDA), jointly formed by the MPP, NCP, Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) and the National People's Party (NPP), in the contest.

The other three candidates include a woman candidate L Khetrani of Rashtriya Bahujan Congress Party (RBCP), the lone woman candidate, A Rahman and N Homendro as Independents.

On the other hand, security remains a matter of concern for free and fair elections in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency.

As per reports, despite 6115 personnel of various security forces deployed in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary elections during the first phase on April 16, some untoward incidents were reported from several polling stations in four hill districts.

These included snatching and breaking of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and booth capturing.

Re-polling was held.

Meanwhile, reviewing the earlier decision of deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces� BSF in all the hypersensitive and sensitive polling stations in three assembly segments in Thoubal district, the authority has decided to replace the BSF with IRB personnel.

The CPI has reportedly put up a strong objection to the decision of the authority and lodged complaint with the election authority, sources said.

Certain modifications have been made to the security arrangements in the hypersensitive and sensitive poling stations, the source said adding that instead of deploying more armed security men with four unarmed personnel at the hypersensitive polling stations, a section each of armed security men would be deployed while five unarmed security men would be deployed at the normal polling stations.

Earlier, security deployment charts indicated deployment of one section each of armed Central Paramilitary Forces with four unarmed personnel (forest guard/home guard/excise constable/village volunteer/newly recruit state security men) at the identified 170 hypersensitive polling stations.

It also showed deployment of five civil armed police/MR/IRB personnel with three unarmed personnel will be deployed at each polling station identified as sensitive polling stations and only three unarmed personnel will be deployed at the normal polling stations.

Source also said that the modification has been made due to shortest in the security personnel as Union ministry of home affairs provided only additional 38 companies CPMF for the poll purposes.

A total of 12,024 armed and unarmed personnel of the state police will assist to the Central Paramilitary forces (CRPF and BSF) in conducting the elections for the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency which will go on poll from 7 am till 4 pm tomorrow.

Out of the total 12,024 security personnel of the state police to be utilized including police officers of the rank SP and below it, 3147 are from the civil police, 6502 are from MR and IRB and 2375 unarmed security men are extracted forest guard, home guards, excise constables and newly recruit under training personnel including volunteers of the Village Defense Force (VDF) .

different with other elections conducted in the previous years.

Non issuance of identity card before election, a brawl on scrutiny days, etc have been a regular event every year.

The election committee also said that not all provisions of Lyngdoh Commission have been made mandatory to be strictly followed.

It said that there are certain exceptions are bound to local/institutional adjustment.

The entire constituency has been divided into 40 zone on the security points of view where armed security men will be put on duty to rush at time of any eventuality that are likely to cause during the polling hour.

Security men at these 40 zones will be assisted by 35 mobile security team and 20 striking forces which will be detained at 20 different locations during the poll hour.

Polling to the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency will go on poll tomorrow at 976 polling stations across the three valley districts of Imphal west, Imphal east and Bishnupur and three Assembly Segments in Thoubal district included in the Inner Parliamentary constituency.

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