Taking adequate steps to ensure fair polls: Nagaland CEO

Kohima: The election department in Nagaland is taking adequate measures to ensure free and fair polls on February 27, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha has said.

Addressing a press meet yesterday, Sinha expressed hope that all electorates will be exercising their franchise in an ethical and informed manner without being intimidated or influenced.

The final electoral rolls, published last week, has names of 11, 89,264 voters – 6, 00,536 male and 5, 88,728 female.

“Of the 2194 polling stations in the state, 459 are in urban areas and 1735 in rural areas,” he said, adding that 1,048 polling stations have been declared critical, 519 vulnerable and 617 normal.

The Photo Electoral Rolls (PER) coverage in the state stands at 99.99% and Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) coverage at 96.95%

“The identification of voters at the polling booths is mandatory. Those provided with EPIC will have to furnish the details at the booth.” Sinha said, urging all residual electors to obtain their EPIC from the registration officers of their constituencies.

Elaborating on the security measures, he said, 273 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) along with 58 companies of State Armed Police Force and 5,698 personnel of District Executive Force will be deployed to maintain the law and order situation.

Apart from that, 94 static check posts will be set up alongside 94 static surveillance teams and 180 flying squad teams, the CEO said.

Notifying that the Rs 20 lakh is the ceiling for expenditure by every candidate, Sinha expressed hope that all political parties in the state will be adhering to the norms.

The constituency with least number of voters is 27-Mokokchung Town and the one with maximum number of electorates is 4th Ghaspani-I, he said.

“Besides Electronic Voting Machine, the state will also have provisions for Voter-verified paper audit trail machines in all the polling stations,” the CEO told reporters.

At present, campaigns, designed under ECI’s Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation programme, are being conducted across the state, Sinha said.

Asked if there is a fear of poll process disruption with tribal organizations and civil societies seeking a solution to the decades-old Naga political issue before the elections, the CEO said the term of the present assembly is coming to an end and the schedule was announced as mandated by the Constitution of India.

He appealed to all sections of the society to cooperate with the election officers for the successful completion of the poll process.