Planning ensures peaceful polling in Tirap

Itanagar, May 28 (UNI) Peaceful polling in insurgency-hit Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh during the May 26 Panchayat elections was due to the district administration's effective planning and measures, State Election Commissioner J M Tangu here today said.

''We were anticipating disturbances by anti-social elements from outside, who are active in these districts, Mr Tangu told at a press conference and added that due measures adopted by the administration to counter any attempt to disrupt polls helped conduct free, fair and peaceful polling.

Sources at Changlang informed that a group of NSCN(IM) cadres was stationed at Nampong with the intention to disrupt rural polls, but the district administration took effective steps to foil their attempts.

He said that people in these two districts had reposed faith in the state government and cast their votes without fear.

They have upheld the true spirit of democracy and their binding faith in the electoral system in the state through their massive turnout in both the districts, the commissioner commented adding, both the districts recorded highest ever percentage of polling this time with Changlang at the top with over 83 per cent and Tirap over 70 per cent.

Panchayat elections during 2003 could not be conducted at Tirap as disturbed under the Armed Forces Special Power Act.

Mr Tangu also disclosed that re-polling would be conducted in ten polling stations of which four went to poll today. Re-polling for the remaining six stations would be held on May 30 next, he informed, adding re-polling in these stations, four in East Kameng, two in Upper Subansiri, one each in Lower Subansiri, Papum Pare, Kurung Kumey and Tirap was necessitate following sporadic incidents of violence.

Election was held for 2,104 gram panchayat member (GPM) seats, 973 Anchal Samiti Member (ASM) and 127 Zila Parishad Member (ZPM).

However, 33 ZPM elected unopposed while 803 ASM win uncontested followed by 5, 142 GPM. By poll would be held later for 170 vacant GPM seats and one each for ASM and ZPM due to non-filing of nomination papers, rejection of election papers and death of a candidate.

UNI UPB LL RD 1420