By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Toughening their stand on the issue of ‘doubtful’ voters, three NGOs — KSU, FKJGP and HNYF — have given the State Government a one-week deadline to implement the mechanisms suggested by them to keep a check on enrolment of doubtful people in the state’s electoral rolls.
Stating that 21 days have passed since their last meeting with the Government on this issue, KSU president Daniel Khyriem on Tuesday said, “The Government has not taken any step to implement various mechanisms suggested by us.”
“Despite the assurance from the Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, the Government has failed to fulfill its commitment,” Khyriem said while addressing a press conference here.
“The Government must implement mechanisms suggested by us within a week’s time,” he said.
Talking on the commitments made by the Government, he said the Election Registering Officer (ERO) was supposed to issue a notification involving traditional heads, civil societies and NGOs for verification of applications submitted for enrolment in electoral rolls.
“We were assured that the notification would be issued at the earliest,” he said.
In fact, Khyriem said the Government was also expected to appoint a booth-level officer (BLO) in all the Dorbars, educational institutions, blocks and districts for verification of applications.
According to him, the Government had agreed that the residential certificates issued by the Rangbah Shnong would be considered as one of the authentic documents to verify whether the person is a genuine citizen of the State or not to be enrolled in the electoral rolls
He expressed his disappointment on the failure of the Government to constitute a committee which would seek views of the NGOs, civil societies and prominent citizens of the State on the ongoing enrolment drive.
“In fact, the committee which was supposed to be constituted was to be in line with the all-party committee which was constituted to study the directives of the Election Commission pertaining to enrolment process,” Khyriem said.
He said that the main reason they are asking for constituting of this committee was to allow the Government to prepare comprehensive draft which would have views of both the political parties and the civil societies before finally submitting it to the Election Commission.