Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 14
The Election Commission of India today announced a single-phase assembly polls for Nagaland on March 5. The assembly polls would be held on the basis of the electoral rolls of January one, 2008. Counting of votes in Nagaland would be taken up on March 8. And if everything goes as scheduled, final results will be known by March 9 and a new government could be sworn in by March 10.
According to information made available by the Election Commission the nomination papers will be filed in Nagaland from February 9 and the last date for it is February 16 followed by withdrawal by February 20. The term of the present assembly in Nagaland, which was brought under President’s Rule early this month, ends on March 13. The EC also informed that the electoral roll revision process in Nagaland had been completed and the final publication was made in Nagaland on January 4, 2008.
As per final rolls, there are 13,00,507 electors in Nagaland and the electoral rolls of all the Assembly Constituencies of Nagaland have been computerized and are available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officers of Nagaland. Further it was informed that there are 1586 polling stations in Nagaland.
The EC also informed that the coverage of Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) in Nagaland is 45% and identification of the voters at the polling booth at the time of poll shall be mandatory. With regard to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the EC informed that the coming elections will be conducted at all polling stations using EVMs.
The Commission has already made arrangements to ensure availability of adequate number of EVMs for the smooth conduct of elections, it was informed.
It was also informed that the EC in recent times has been adopting a new procedure for the application of indelible ink. The new procedure of applying the ink as a line running from top of the nail to the bottom of first joint of the left forefinger will be followed during the forthcoming general election in Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura also, it was informed.
On law and order and deployment of forces, the EC informed that based on the assessment of the ground situation, Central Police Forces (CPFs) and State Armed Police (SAPs) drawn from other States will be deployed during the ensuing general elections. The EC informed that the CPF and SAP will be used generally for safeguarding the polling stations and for providing security to the electors and polling personnel at the polling stations on the poll day. Besides, these forces will be used for securing the strong rooms where the EVMs are stored and at the counting centers.
The EC also informed that it was issuing instructions from time to time with regard to the advance preventive measures to be taken by the District Magistrates and Police authorities to maintain law and order and to create atmosphere conducive for the conduct of free and fair elections. The EC will be monitoring the ground situation closely and will take appropriate measures to ensure peaceful, free and fair polls in these States.
The EC will also be deploying General and Expenditure Observers to ensure smooth conduct of election in Nagaland. The observers will be asked to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections, the EC stated.
With regard to conduct of officials during the elections, the EC stated that it expected all officials engaged in the conduct of elections to discharge their duties in an impartial manner without any fear or favour. In this regard, the conduct of all government officials who have been entrusted with election related responsibilities and duties would remain under constant scrutiny of the commission and strict action shall be taken against those officials who are found wanting on any account, it cautioned.
The EC also reminded that no election related official or Police officer of the rank of Sub-Inspector and above shall be allowed to continue in his home district. Besides, instructions have also been issued that all the election related officials including the police officials who have completed three years in a district during last four years should be transferred out of that district. The EC informed that the State Government has also been asked to transfer all those officers against whom the commission has recommended disciplinary action or who have been charged for any lapse during previous elections or for any election related work, from the positions entailing any election work.
Further, the State government has been instructed to ensure that those who stand transferred shall move out physically of their last place of posting and not remain there on any pretext including leave. The Commission has also instructed the State Government not to associate any officer with the electoral process against whom charges have been framed in a court of law in any case.
