Manipur to move Centre for additional forces

IMPHAL, Jan 24 – The advisor to the Governor of Manipur FN Rammohan will be aridashing to New Delhi shortly to meet the Union Home Ministry officials and officials of other ministries for more additional forces for the ensuing eighth State Assembly election which is to be held on February 14 and 21. Even though the central authority has agreed to provide 30 companies security forces personnel, the State administration feels that these forces would not be sufficient for the election. With the sudden rise in poll related violence in the State since the past couple of weeks, the State authority is requesting the Central officials to send in more forces in order to have a free and fair polls. The additional forces will be arriving in Manipur from the first week of February. A security co-ordination meeting was held on January 17 at the mini conference hall of the State Secretariat with the State chief secretary Rakesh in the chair. Top officials from defence, para-military forces, State police, intelligence, transport and State election department also attended the meeting. The meeting discussed at great length various aspects connected with providing security to election observers, returning officers, candidates and polling stations. The meeting also decided to requisite five helicopters for the second phase polls in the hill areas. Meanwhile, 23 election observers out of the total 31 have arrived here to oversee the forthcoming polls. Of the total observers, 19 are general observers while 12 are expenditure observers. Four observers will be deputed at Imphal West, five at Imphal East, three at Bishnupur, four at Thoubal, three at Chandel, three at Ukhrul, three each at Temenglong, Senapati and Churachandpur districts. The number of vehicles to be allotted to election observers are yet to be finalised as the respective deputy commissioners have still not submitted their reports. In the meantime, the chief electoral officer has started issuing vehicles to the observers and DCs in connection with the election. Altogether 50 vehicles for security escorts have also kept said. The Government has received demands from Imphal West to requisite 22 vehicles while from Kangpokpi the demand is 28 buses, 26 trucks and 25 light vehicles.