Mizoram CEO pledges free, fair polls as campaign comes to an end

Mizoram CEO pledges free, fair polls as campaign comes to an end

Guwahati: Even as the curtains came down on electioneering at 4 p.m. on Monday for the 7th Mizoram Assembly election, the State’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEO), Ashish Kundra appealed for high voters turn-out on November 28 while exuding confidence to hold a free and fair election in the frontier Northeastern state.

Addressing the media in Aizawl, Kundra said respective District Magistrates in Mizoram had ordered for sealing of inter-state and international borders in Mizoram as per the Election Commission of India guidelines which say that such borders must be sealed 72 hours before the start of polling.

The poll official informed that he had reviewed the poll preparedness with all the eight District Election Officers (DEOs) besides visiting two of the districts himself to take stock of the poll preparedness. He held meeting with the state police’s nodal officer and the state government officials headed by the Chief Secretary to review the security measures as well as vigil maintained to keep the poll code of conduct enforced strictly.

The Election Commission has made arrangement for webcasting of the polling process from 40 polling stations across the state and two polling stations at Kanhmun on Mizoram border where Bru refugee voters will cast their votes coming from their camps in Tripura.

One all-women polling station per Assembly Constituency has been set up across the state as per the guidelines of the Election Commission.

Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballots will be used for the first time in Mizoram polls for the 4363 service voters. Overall 13,451 postal ballots have been issued.

The CEO informed that 15 polling stations had been made ready at Kanhmun on Mizoram-Tripura inter-state boundary for Bru refugee voters coming from Tripura refugee camps. He said the CEO of Tripura and Tripura government would arrange for transportation of Bru voters till the assigned alighting point about 500 meters from the bridge and from there Bru voters will be guided to their respective polling stations.

Kundra said Mizoram government would later reimburse the cost of transportation of Bru refugee voters to the polling stations at Kanhmun. Total 12014 Brus refugees residing in Tripura are expected to cast their votes at Kanhmun.

Kanhmun, a border village in Mamit district is the place selected for Brus residing in Tripura refugee camps to cast their votes.

The Mizoram CEO said he had received good support from the joint NGO co-ordination of Mizoram led by Young Mizo Association (YMA) who, he said, promised to provide the voters with food and rest when they come to vote.

Mizoram has a total of 7,68,181 voters including 3,93,685 females and 3,74,496 male voters. The electorate would cast their votes in 1,164 polling stations where EVMs would be used. Altogether there are 209 candidates including 18 women candidates. There are 63 independent candidates including ZPM and Zoramthar nominees.

There are 3915 voters who are physically challenged and special arrangements have been made in respective polling stations to enable these voters to exercise their franchise. The CEO said minimum facilities had been provided in all the polling stations as per the EC guidelines.

Forty companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) have been deployed in the poll-bound state and they will be assisted by Mizoram Police to ensure smooth conduct of polling.

Also read: Mizoram News

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