Preparation of photo identity cards underway in Manipur

Imphal, Sep 28 (UNI) The Manipur Election department has said the clicking of electorates' photographs for voters' identity cards will resume from the first week of October.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R R Rashmi said here yesterday the Election Commission (EC) had ordered Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (Photo Rolls) for all 60 Assembly Constituencies of the state and added the work had to be completed by March 10.

The final publication of Photo Rolls will take place on May 27, the CEO said.

The EC had decided to conduct the forthcoming 15th Lok Sabha elections in 2009 with Photo Rolls throughout the country.

As directed by the commission, four states, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Kerala and two Union Territories -- Puducherry and Lakshadweep, had already completed preparation of Photo Rolls.

The remaining states, including Manipur, were also currently in full swing for the preparation of Photo Rolls.

The Photo Rolls for all 60 Assembly Constituencies of the state would be prepared within January one, the CEO said, adding voters without photo identity cards would not be allowed to cast their votes in the Assembly and Parliamentary elections.

The deputy commissioners of the five Hill Districts and Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Kangpokpi would be the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) in the Hill Districts while the Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) of the four Valley Districts and the ADC of Jiribam would be the EROs in the Valley Districts.

All political parties, local clubs and NGOs were requested to convince the people about the utility of Photo Rolls.

UNI