Sources have stated that Manipur readies to vote for a new Assembly, the state Chief Electoral Officer Vivek Kumar Dewangan is an extremely busy man. The 1993-batch IAS officer assumed his new role in August last year. Dewangan was serving as the commerce and industries commissioner prior to his role in the poll body. Manipur votes in two phases on 4 and 8 March for its 60 member Assembly.
Almost perennially in a state of strife, the ongoing economic blockade, the tensions between the hills and plains districts and the many militant groups only makes this democratic exercise in Manipur even harder. The chief secretary has held an elaborate meeting with all stakeholders on January 24. Representatives from the army, police and paramilitary forces were present to take stock of the situation.
Two hundred and fifty companies of Central Armed Police Force
will be here to help us conduct the elections securely. Of the 250 companies,
44 are already here because of the economic blockade and they are expecting 206
more companies as the election draws closer. The Election Commission has made
it clear that the district election officers who were assigned to the earlier
districts will continue their work in the new districts. The new deputy
commissioners are not empowered as returning officers.
