The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Manipur, PK Jha, announced that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) will be treated as electors of their original place for the upcoming General Elections to the 18th Lok Sabha in 2024.
Addressing a press conference at the CEO office in Imphal West on Saturday, PK Jha outlined the special arrangements under a scheme to ensure the participation of IDPs in the electoral process.
He elaborated that under the scheme, IDPs of the state will be facilitated to vote at relief camps, wherein they will be considered as ordinary residents of the place from which they have been displaced.
To streamline the process, a special polling station will be set up for clusters of polling stations within the relief camps.
The voting will be conducted solely through EVMs, with the counting of votes also taking place at the district headquarters where the relief camps are situated, he said, adding the results will then be transmitted to the respective ROs and AROs.
ALSO READ: Lok Sabha Election 2024: Manipur to vote on April 19, 26
Emphasising the importance of voter registration, the CEO stressed that IDPs must submit their ID forms to the designated AROs at least 10 days before the polling date.
The CEO, however, was unable to provide the exact numbers of voters for IDPs and the number of special polling stations, stating that will get to know the real figure within a week or 10 days.
To facilitate this, he said an adequate number of forms will be made available at the District Electoral Officer (DEO) offices, designated AROs, and the relief camps.
The CEO also informed that the ECI has made provision for postal ballot to PwDs whose names are marked in the electoral rolls and who possess disability certificates.
This facility, he said, is also extended to senior citizens above the age of 85 and electors who are quarantined due to COVID.
The facility will be made optional to the electors and additionally PwD electors will also be provided with vehicles, volunteers and wheelchairs wherever required, he added.
Furthermore, the CEO highlighted the extensive voter awareness initiatives undertaken under the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) campaign.
These initiatives, he said have been implemented at various levels, including booth, Assembly Constituency, district, and state, with a focus on engaging youth, PwDs, and transgender individuals to ensure that no eligible voter is left behind.
ALSO READ: Lok Sabha Election 2024: 200 paramilitary companies to be deployed in Manipur
