New Delhi: The Election Commission has revised the assembly poll dates for Manipur. The voting for the first phase of elections will be held on 28th of February instead of 27th February. The commission said, the second phase of voting will take place on 5th of March instead of 3rd March.
The Commission which had recently visited Manipur to review the election preparedness held interaction with Political Parties, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other officers. It said, various issues and ground situations were presented to the Commission. The Commission considered inputs, representations, past precedent, logistics, ground situations and all facts and circumstances in the matter, has decided to revise the polling dates.
Meanwhile,the Office of Chief Electoral Officer Manipur has identified 83 polling stations situated at the interior areas of four hill districts for airlifting poll officials and EVM/VVPAT machines in case of any emergency.
The Chief Electoral Officer Manipur Rajesh Agrawal said that the airlifting plan has been kept in the upcoming polls in Manipur in case there is emergency. Further, an Air Ambulance will be deployed to airlift any person in case of emergency or casualties.
He said that there will be 115 Model Polling Station and 529 All Women Polling Station for both the phases in Manipur Election. Since the day of announcement of election, Income Tax Department seized a total of around Rupees one crore fifty lakh and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized Rupees seven crore seventy one worth gold and narcotics substances worth around Rupees three crore fifty lakh.
Mr Agrawal said that all Election Observers of first phase have arrived and conducted meeting with election officials to review the preparedness of elections. They are 20 General Observers, 11 Police Observers, 20 Expenditure Observers and 3 Special Observers.
