Establishing special polling stations for voters in Manipur relief camps

Imphal, March 2 (IANS) – The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to set up special polling stations in relief camps in Manipur to allow voters displaced by ethnic violence to participate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The ECI made this decision after consultation with the Central and state governments.

According to election officials, internally displaced electors will be provided with the facility to vote at special polling stations set up in relief camps. An ECI statement mentioned, “An Additional Deputy Commissioner or an officer of equivalent rank may be designated as Assistant Returning Officer for each district exclusively for specified voters.”

Voting in these polling stations will be conducted using separate Electronic Voting Machines for each parliamentary constituency. The Manipur government is currently operating around 320 relief camps with over 59,000 individuals staying in them.

The ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi community in Manipur resulted in at least 219 deaths, 1,500 injuries, and 60,000 people being displaced following riots that began on May 3 last year. The violence erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

This initiative by the ECI aims to ensure that all eligible voters in Manipur, including those in relief camps, have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.