The Election Commission of India (ECI) is taking steps to ensure that voters displaced by the ethnic violence in Manipur have the opportunity to cast their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. To facilitate this, special polling stations will be set up in relief camps located throughout the state.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stated that similar measures have already been implemented in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, where displaced persons have been able to vote in special polling stations established in relief camps. The aim is to provide every eligible citizen with the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.
Specifically, designated Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) will be appointed for each district in Manipur to facilitate the voting process for those staying in relief camps. These AROs will be responsible for collecting the votes of the displaced persons. Furthermore, Special Polling Stations will be established to function as a cluster of polling stations, with counting of the votes taking place at the district headquarters.
Eligible voters staying in the relief camps are required to submit ID-related forms to the designated AROs at least 10 days prior to the date of the poll. This is to ensure that the necessary preparations can be made for their participation in the democratic process.
In terms of the overall electoral landscape of Manipur, the final photo electoral rolls of all the 60 Assembly Constituencies revealed that there are a total of 2,026,623 voters in the state. This number includes 1,047,929 women. Additionally, there are a total of 2,955 polling stations spread across all 16 districts.
The voting for the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur will take place on different dates. The Outer Manipur seat, which is reserved for the tribals, will have elections in two phases: April 19 and April 26. On the other hand, the Inner Manipur seat will have voting on April 19.
Currently, the Manipur government is operating around 320 relief camps that are accommodating over 59,000 individuals, including men, women, and children who have been displaced by the ethnic violence.
The violence in Manipur began on May 3 last year after a Tribal Solidarity March was organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Since then, at least 220 people have been killed, 1,500 injured, and 60,000 displaced as a result of the clashes.
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