According to Chief Electoral Officer Pradeep Kumar Jha, more than 24,500 displaced individuals are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections............
Digital desk: The Election Commission in violence-hit Manipur is preparing for the difficult task of holding Lok Sabha elections in the state where the poll scene is muted, following eleven months of conflict, over 50,000 displaced people, and anti-poll beliefs among a few.
According to Chief Electoral Officer Pradeep Kumar Jha, more than 24,500 displaced individuals are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections, and they have been given special permission to cast their ballots from relief camps.
According to the reports Jha said, "A total of 2,955 polling stations will be set up in the state for the Lok Sabha elections, out of which around 50 percent have been identified as sensitive, vulnerable, or critical. We are also setting up 94 special polling stations to facilitate voting by internally displaced persons (IDPs)."
A vulnerability mapping of hamlets, villages, and electoral segments prone to intimidation and threats is carried out before elections as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) regulations.
He also added, "Special teams have been formed to deal with these voters with empathy and we have also started voter awareness activities. The activities are being designed keeping in mind the sentiments of the displaced people who have lost the comfort of being in their home and there is some level of frustration and negativity."
Since a "Tribal Solidarity March" was held in the hill districts to oppose the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, at least 219 people have died in the ethnic conflict in the state that began on May 3 of last year.
Over fifty thousand internally displaced individuals are housed in relief camps spread over three hill districts and five valley districts.
Manipur's Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to take place in two stages on April 19 and 26, and the voting arrangements for the displaced population have drawn attention.
The significance of elections in the conflict-ridden state has been questioned by several civil society organizations and the impacted population. Several groups have also called for a boycott of the elections.
According to the data, Jha said that the state has more than 20 lakh voters, with a greater proportion of female voters than male voters.
He further stated, "The state has traditionally been seeing a very high voting percentage in the previous elections, which is reflective of people's faith in the electoral process. Even if some people are feeling negative about it, we are trying to create awareness about making each vote count and taking some confidence-building measures."
When asked about the poll's security plans, Jha responded that the state had assigned over 200 companies of paramilitary forces.
"The idea is not only to ensure that the displaced voters do not miss out on the chance but also that they feel safe. Adequate security arrangements are being made across the state. Video surveillance has already begun and the entry and exit points are being monitored...it is obvious to have concerns about security considering the conflict in the state, however, these concerns are being addressed," he said.
The standard elements of campaigning, such as political party posters, large-scale rallies, and leaders' public campaigns, are noticeably absent from violence-plagued Manipur, where polls for the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to take place in less than two weeks.
The hoardings put up by local election authorities encouraging individuals to exercise their right to vote are the only obvious indication that an election is about to take place.
Major party leaders have avoided going to the conflict-ravaged regions state to canvass votes or offer electoral commitments amidst the calm election atmosphere.
Jha acknowledged that the campaign could be more well-known in the state, but he insisted that the EC had not imposed any limits.
"There are no restrictions from the Election Commission's side on campaigning. Anything which is within the boundaries of the model code of conduct is allowed," he said.
Leave A Comment