Imphal, March 20: In preparation for the upcoming 14th Lok Sabha election, a security coordination meeting presided by the Chief Secretary AP Sharma was held at the Chief Secretary's conference hall today, disclosed an official source.

The meeting which was attended by Chief Electoral Officer V Chibber, DGP AK Parashar, ADGP Y Joykumar and CRPF officials mainly discussed on the strategies to be taken up by the authorities to conduct the upcoming polls in a free and fair manner.

Members present in the meeting besides resolving to begin deploying security forces at all the districts also agreed to make arrangements for providing security cover to all the candidates as well as the election observer.

Informing that 15 companies of the BSF have arrived for the elections while 15 more companies of the CRPF are yet to come, sources said that the 49 companies of the CRPF which are presently posted in Manipur have been included in the 79 companies which the Ministry of Home Affairs had assured to provide to the State for the upcoming polls.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Gopalaswami will be arriving in the State on March 24 and will be leaving the following day after meeting leaders of various political parties and senior election officers.

Restrictions imposed: With a view to ensure free, fair and peaceful conduct of the upcoming election and keeping into account the letter and spirit of the model code of conduct, the State Government has imposed some restrictions/ban in public interest.

Department of Personnel and Administrative reforms in a statement stated that restrictions include total ban on all appointments in the Government, Government aided institutions and public sector undertakings and also ban on the transfer and postings of all officers/officials, ban on fresh DPC meetings/selection process either for direct recruitment or promotion, ban on process for creation as well as up-gradation of posts.

No leave or extension of leave shall be granted except on medical ground.

All cases of leave on medical grounds shall be referred by the concerned Department to the State Medical Board and no leave on medical ground shall be granted without prior recommendation by the State Medical Board, informed the statement.

It also added that all die-in-harness scheme cases admissible under the existing guidelines of the State Government shall not be processed except those cases involving compliance of court's order.

In the meantime, District Magistrate of Thoubal and Imphal West in separate orders have imposed keeping of arms under CrPC 144.Any person owning arms may submit the same to the nearest police stations.

The order issued by Thoubal District Magistrate also made it mandatory for seeking permission for using loud speaker within its jurisdiction.

For proper dissemination of information among the people of Thoubal and Bishnupur in connection with the election, Control Rooms have been opened at the offices of the Deputy Commissioners of the two district.

ADM of Thoubal district along with District Election officer would be supervising the functioning of Control room for Thoubal district and the public may contact the control room on phone number (953834) 222662 for information and other related details of the election.

The control room would remain functional round the clock and anybody who wish to send message may also do through the e-mail address [email protected].

Committees constituted: Election Campaigning Committee of Bishnupur District Congress Committee has been constituted during a party of the party on March 18.The 29-member committee is headed by Bishnupur DCC president W Maipak as chairman.

The Imphal West-1 District Election Campaigning Committee for the ensuing 14th Lok Sabha election has also been constituted with Ng Budhi Singh as chairman.

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