Lok Sabha polls: People displaced due to Manipur violence to cast votes in relief camps, says ECI

The Election Commission of India said that special polling stations will be established at relief camps to facilitate voting for individuals displaced by the ethnic conflict in Manipur during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Several people have been displaced due to the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, which has claimed the lives of over 200 people so far, as per records. A majority of over 50,000 internally displaced people are currently staying at relief centres across five valley districts and three hill districts, since the violence began on May 3 last year.

A statement issued by the state Chief Electoral Officer on Friday said, “A large number of electors registered in several parts of the state were displaced from their native places during the conflict that started on May 3, 2023. Presently, they are residing in relief camps in various districts. The displaced electors are still enrolled at the places where they were residents before the conflict started,”

“The ECI, after due consultation with the central and state governments, has directed that all such displaced persons who had to leave their native places during the conflict shall continue to be borne on the electoral rolls of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies concerned in the state,” the statement said.

“As per past precedent of similar nature, the internally displaced electors shall be provided with the facility to vote at special polling stations to be set up in relief camps,” it added.

Voting in these special polling stations “shall be conducted using separate EVMs for each parliamentary constituency”.

The statement further specified that all rules and directives governing the conduct of polls at the original polling stations will also be applicable at these special polling stations.

The counting of votes cast at the special polling stations will be overseen by designated assistant returning officers (AROs) at dedicated counting centres, which will be established specifically for this purpose and approved by the Commission in advance.

(With PTI inputs)