Imphal, December 02 2008: THE FINAL photo electoral rolls published on August 30, 2008 plus continuous updated electoral rolls (which the revision with January 1, 2009 as qualifying date) will be used in the forth coming bye-election to the Moirang Assembly Constituency which has been lying vacant after the death of the sitting MLA, Mairenbam Manindra on October 26 last.

Congress MLA Mairenbam Manindra of Moirang Assembly Constituency had passed away in the morning of October 26, 2008 at the RIMS Hospital where he was being treated for his illness.

The next day, the Manipur Legislative Assembly had announced the vacancy of the 27-Moirang A/C where Manindra had been elected in the Assembly election of 2007 .

With the announcement of the bye-election to the Moirang Assembly constituency on December 27 next, the Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has held a meeting with representatives of all political party on November 27 last and has sought co-operation and help in the smooth conduct of bye-election.

The ECI announced the bye-election schedule on November 23 last.

Since then, the model codes of conduct for election have already come into force in the entire district of Bishnupur district from November 23 .

As per the announcement of the ECI, the election notification will be issued on December 3.The last date of making nominations is on December 10 while the scrutiny will be held on next day.

The last date of withdrawal of the candidature is on December 13 .

The polling will hold on December 27, the counting will be done on December 30 in which the authority is scheduled to complete all election process by January 1, 2009.The state election authority had already started preparation of the smooth conduct of the election.

Voter's identification will be mandatory in this bye-election at the time poll.

In order to ensure that no voter is deprived of his/her franchise, if his/her name figure in the electoral roll, separate instructions will be issued by the Election Commission to allow additional documents for identification of voters at the time of poll in this bye-election, official source said.

CEO had made it clear when the representatives of the political parties present in the meeting expressed their views that those electors who fail to appear before the photography team for capturing their images in the rolls should not be allowed to cast their votes.

The political parties insisted that if they are responsible for non-capturing of their images, their names should be deleted.

In this regard, the CEO clarified that the electoral franchise given to an elector/citizen cannot be denied without observing due formalities under the provisions of Representation of People Act, 1950 and relevant rules and standing orders of the ECI.

Source also further said that the CEO office here had also been instructed to use or deploy at all polling stations.

Arrangements have been made for their deployment as per assessment of hypersensitive and sensitive polling stations made by the district election officer in consultation with the SP of the district, the source said.

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