Imphal: All the candidates who have filed nomination papers for the January 28 Manipur assembly election have been provided adequate security and police instructed to intensify patrolling and beef up security in the state, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P C Lawmkunga said on Saturday.
Lawmkung told reporters that those who have filed nomination papers have been provided adequate security guards and the DGP R Baral has instructed all the Superintendents of police (SP) to step up patrolling besides frisking and checking of people to detect movement of armed ultras who wanted to disrupt the poll process.
The CEO said there would be video coverage at all the polling stations and photographs of those who cast their votes would be taken after his or her casting the votes.
The photographs of those who cast votes would be verified with the photos in electoral rolls, Lawmkung said adding arrangements have been to detect this by ‘photograph matching software.’
The CEO said para-military forces would guard all the polling stations besides patrolling at various places along with the state police, saying that the authorities would create a situation where voters would have no fear to exercise their franchise.
“We will be able to contain the activities of the insurgents who are trying to disturb the poll process by exploding and hurling grenades at the houses of candidates particularly Congress and their supporters,” Lawmkunga said.
The CEO said out of 350 companies of security personnel including 280 companies Central forces which have been sanctioned by the Election Commission for the assembly election about 200 companies have already arrived in the state.
He said all the 200 companies have been despatched to all the districts and instructed to work closely with state police forces. (PTI)