Centre mulling possibilities for 11,500 Bru voters
Newmai News Network
Aizawl | November 16
Ashish Kundra has taken the charge as the new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Mizoram today. Yesterday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had transferred SB Shashank following massive protests by civil society groups against the CEO.
On the first day of joining office today, the new CEO convened a meeting with leaders of civil society organizations and student bodies in connection with the upcoming assembly polls.
Mizoram will go to polls on November 28 and the results will be declared on December 11.
Speaking to media persons after meeting with the civil society groups, Kundra said he would try his level best to ensure free and fair elections in the state. Ashish Kundra also expressed regret for the recent incident and asked the people to forget what had happened in the past. The officer then appealed all the civil society groups and the people to ensure that the upcoming assembly elections are held under fair and peaceful atmosphere.
As many as 209 candidates are in the fray for elections to the 40-member Mizoram assembly.
Speaking about poll the preparedness, Ashish Kundra said that the Election Commission of India has completed preparing postal ballots and EVM. Of the 40 companies of Central Armed Forces, 20 companies have already arrived in Mizoram and the remaining 20 companies are likely to arrive in the state by November 22, he said. Kundra also said that the Election Commission is mulling about setting up of polling stations at Kanhmun village in Mamit district on Mizoram- Tripura border for more than 11,500 Bru voters. Final decision is yet to be taken, he added. The new CEO also said that the Election Commission is relentlessly pursuing the case of Bru voters in Kolasib district.
The Aizawl bench of Gauhati high court on Wednesday stayed the inclusion of 218 Bru voters from Tripura in the electoral roll of Mizoram’s Kolasib district following a PIL filed by NGO Coordination Committee of Kolasib district unit challenging the validity of their inclusion.
Kundra then said that 32 polling stations are declared ‘critical’ where videography would be used during polling.
