The chief electoral officer (CEO) of Manipur, P K Singh on Thursday said that a grand total of 19,59,429 voters will exercise their franchise in the upcoming 17th Lok Sabha Election – 2019, across the state.
Manipur goes to polls in two phases for the two parliamentary constituencies on April 11 and 18 next. The total number of electors after completion of continuous updating is 19,39,244 with 9,43,426 male, 995773 female and 45 as third gender voters.
While the total number of service voters after final publication of service voter list is 20,185 with 19,506 male and 679 female.
He informed that the total number of polling stations is 2,862 at 2,275 locations. Out of these 283 are recorded as critical (227 in Outer Manipur seat and 56 in Inner Manipur seat) and 225 are vulnerable (171 in Outer and 54 in Inner).
He said the CEO office has released funds to MSPDCL for electrification of 1,217 polling stations which have no electricity connections.
The deputy commissioners concerned will provide ramps in 665 polling stations where ramps are not there, for which department of Education will take up construction of ramps in school buildings, he said.
He further informed that funds have been released to deputy commissioners to hire furniture for 346 polling stations which have no proper furniture and construction of temporary toilets in 236 polling stations where toilets are not available.
A new feature added in the polling stations this time is an all new standardized voting compartment, built as per exact specifications of the ECI to maintain secrecy.
As per ECI directive, the state election machinery has to provide special facilitation of all the people with disabilities (PwDs) as total of 7,699 PwDs have been marked on the E-roll and five light vehicles per Assembly constituencirs will be provided for transportation of those PwDs.
Altgether 90 companies of Central Armed Police Force which includes 15 companies of IRB from within the State shall be deployed in the first phase election in Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency.
The central forces include CRPF, BSF, SAP from Assam and Mizoram and RPF.
Arrangements are being made for deployment of three helicopters for post-poll airlifting of 124 polling parties, EVM and VVPAT which includes the districts of Tamenglong (49), Churachandpur (39), Chandel (20) and Ukhrul (16).
ECI has appointed four senior officers of the State Government as accessibility observers to assess the facilities at the polling stations and to ensure proper facilities for persons with disabilities, he added.