200 polling stations declared hyper sensitive, 21 sensitive
IMPHAL, June 1: It is all set for the Imphal Municipal Corporation poll tomorrow as polling personnel with support security detail were dispatched today to their respective polling stations today, in the midst of increased tension over the JCILPS agitation.
Secretary of the State Election Commission Radharani Mutum today announced that only ballot papers will be used for the Imphal Municipal elections this year.
Today from 10 am onwards, polling personnel and security personnel began leaving for their designated polling stations in both Imphal West and Imphal East alongwith polling materials.
Imphal West has 20 Municipal wards and Imphal East seven wards in the Imphal Municipal Corporation.
Around 1,75,864 voters will decide the fate of 86 councilor candidates and 127 ward development committee member candidates for the 27 Councillor seats and 54 member seats tomorrow.
In the Imphal East, polling personnel and respective security detail were dispatched from the DIC complex, while for Imphal West polling and security personnel were dispatched from DC office complex Lamphelpat.
Secretary Radharani Mutum said, there are altogether 255 polling stations out of which Imphal East has 66 polling stations and Imphal West 189 polling stations.
In each polling station five polling personnel including a Presiding Officer will be in place to ensure free and fair conduct of the poll. Altogether 1265 civil government employees were pressed into service for this election.
She said, adequate security would be provided in all the polling stations. However she refused to disclose the number of security detail to be deployed.
All the 189 polling stations in Imphal West have been declared as hyper-sensitive while it is 11 in Imphal East. Out of the 66 polling stations in Imphal East 21 are sensitive.
Party wise mapping shows 26 candidates each for the Congress and BJP in the 27 wards going to polls while CPI has 5 candidates, LJP 3 candidates, JD(U) one candidate besides 25 Independent candidates. Ward number 26 in Wangkhei constituency under Imphal East has no candidates from BJP and Congress.
There are 36 women candidates among the 86 contesting candidates and nine of the 27 wards were reserved for women.
Polling hours are from 8 am till 4 pm.
Radharani further said, ballot boxes for Councillors would be wrapped with pink color cloth and water color cloth for Ward Members.
After polling, the ballot boxes will kept inside the strong room of DC complex Lamphelpat for Imphal West and DIC office within DC complex of Porompat for Imphal East where adequate security will be deployed till counting day onJune 6.
In the eventuality of re-poll it will be conducted on June 4.
Secretary of State Election Commission appealed to the general public for cooperation in ensuring a smooth and fair election of IMC tomorrow.