As many as 16 polling teams consisting of two polling officers, videographer, micro-observer and a half section of armed security personnel are all set to conduct postal ballot voting in Imphal East.
Among them, two polling officers and videographers of postal ballots will be women. Postal ballot voting will start from February 16 and conclude on February 25.
In a press conference held on Sunday at Imphal East, DC Conference Hall, district election officer of Imphal East, Khumanthem Diana Devi said that in Imphal East, a total 1,524 electors have opted for postal ballot. The postal ballot facilities are meant for those above 80, people with disabilities and Covid patients, she said.
Among the 1,254 postal ballot voters, 270 are people with disabilities but no Covid patients have been registered for the facility. As many as 2,702 service personnel who opted for Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), had transmitted their votes on February 12, she said.
The District electoral officer, Imphal East, said that special women polling officers and women videographers are specially arranged for voters. The exercise will start from February 16 and it will end on February 25, she further said.
For essential services, six assembly constituencies have been identified with one each from Kshetrigao, Thongju and Keirao and three from Yaiskul assembly constituency.
Those who opted for the postal ballot can vote from 9 am to 5pm from February 23 to 25, and postal ballot centres will be identified by the returning officer, she said.
For those voters who are having election duty and opted for a postal ballot, the Form 12 or (12A for EDC) should be submitted seven days ahead from the poll, she mentioned.
In Imphal East, 1,732 poll personnel are on election duty, she added.
For them, the facilitation centres will be opened on February 24 at Multipurpose Hall, Modern College; Audio Visual Hall, Modern College; SIRD Training Hall, DC office complex; Panchayat Bhavan, DC complex; DIC hall, Porompat.
The 16 separate polling teams for absentees’ voters comprising two officers, videographer, micro-observer and one-half security personnel will visit house-to- house in two rounds, she further said.
From February 16 to 19, the team will make visits, starting from 8 am to 4 pm for five assembly constituencies namely Khundrakpam, Heingang, Khurai, Kshetrigao, Andro.
From February 20-23, the team will visit Thongju, Keirao, Lamlai, Yaiskul and Wangkhei. The second round will again continue from February 24 to 25 for left out voters, she added.
SP Imphal East, M Pradip said that 93.4 per cent license arms have been recovered while some illegal arms were also seized.
The press conference was attended by sub divisional officer Sawombung Shamim Ahmed.
