Altogether 94 special polling stations have been identified across Manipur to facilitate voting by internally displaced persons in the ethnic violence-affected state, Chief Electoral Officer PK Jha said on Friday.
A large number of people were forced to leave their homes and stay in relief camps and other places since the strife began in the northeastern state in May last year.
Kangpokpi district has the highest number of such special polling stations at 24, followed by Bishnupur (22), Churachandpur (15) and Imphal East (nine).
Of the 94 special polling stations, 85 are meant for the first phase of polling on April 19 and the remaining nine will be in the second phase on April 26.
"We have distributed 17,425 identity forms in relief camps for internally displaced persons. Of them, 9,875 have already been submitted,” the CEO said.
At least 219 people were killed after ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals – Nagas and Kukis – constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.
The CEO said 118 model polling stations will be set up across the state, of which 91 will be managed by women only.
Three general observers, two police observers and four expenditure observers appointed by ECI have arrived in the state to oversee preparations and conduct of the Lok Sabha elections, Jha said.
The state has two Lok Sabha seats. While Inner Manipur and parts of Outer Manipur will go to polls on April 19, voting for the remaining areas of Outer Manipur will be held on April 26.
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