Process for by-election for Moirang Assembly Constituency begins

Imphal, Nov 25 (UNI) The electioneering process for the by-election of Moirang Assembly Constituency in Bishenpur district of Manipur started today after the announcement of by-poll by the Election Commission of India on Sunday.

The by-poll will be held on December 27 along with the by-elections of seven Assembly Constituencies of Karnataka and three Assembly Constituencies of West Bengal.

The Election Commission of India has fixed the date of issuing of election notification on December 3, the last date of making nominations on December 10, scrutiny of nominations on December 11, last date for withdrawal of candidature on December 13, date of poll on December 27, counting of votes on December 30 and date of completion of the election process on January 1.

The Electoral rolls in respect of the Assembly Constituencies have been revised with reference to January 1, 2008 as the qualifying date.

Election officials said photo identity cards will be used for the first time and clicking of photographs of the voters is going on in full swing.

The clicking of photographs will continue till December 15 and poll revision process will conclude today.

The Commission has decided to use Electronic Voting Machines(EVM) in this by-election in all the polling stations.

Adequate number of EVMs have been made available and all steps taken to ensure that the poll is conducted smoothly with the help of these machines.

In consonance with the past practice, the Commission has decided that the voter's identification shall be mandatory in the aforementioned by-election at the time of poll.

In order to ensure that no voter is deprived of his/her franchise, if his/her name figures in the Electoral Rolls, separate instructions will be issued to allow additional documents for identification of voters at the time of poll in this by-election.

The Model Code of Conduct also came into force from November 23 in the districts in which the whole or any part of the Assembly Constituency going for by-election is included.

The Model Code of Conduct shall be applicable to all candidates, political parties and the state government.

The Moirang Assembly seat fell vacant after sitting Congress MLA M Manindra Singh died on October 26.

In the last Assembly elections held in February 2007 the constituency witnessed a straight fight between M Manindra Singh (INC) and Salam Gopal Singh of the Manipur People's Party (MPP).

Mr Gopal was the sitting MLA when the election was held. Manindra secured 9,340 votes while Salam Gopal Singh got 8,364 votes. Md Heshammuddin of (NCP) was a far third with 5,708 votes. Nar Rahaman (CPI) got 2,089 cotes and Moirangthen Ashok Singh (RJD) got 1,564 votes. None of the political parties have announced the name of any candidate so far.

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