Nagar Panchayat and Municipal Council polls fixed for January 3

IMPHAL, Dec 6: Following official notifications for elections to the Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats of the state by the state chief election commission yesterday, the state police department has chalked out the security strategies for police deployment during the elections by intimating the concerned officers-in-charge of various police stations established in the valley districts.
According to a highly placed source in a formal meeting on December 2 reservation of ST/SC and women seats to the local bodies on lottery systems has been agreed upon.
Having agreed on this, the official election notification for the election to the nine Municipal Councils, including Imphal Municipal Council, to elect a total of 109 councillors, 218 members of  Ward Development Committee and 170 councilors for 18 Nagar Panchayats and 340 Ward Development Committee members of the Nagar Panchayats have been officially announced by the state chief election commission.
The source further mentioned that as per the official election notifications the election to the Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and members of the Ward Development Committee of the very Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats will be held on January 3 next year under the Manipur Municipal Community Participation Rules 2010.
It may be mentioned that the proposed election of Municipal Councils in the state which are to be held on January 3 includes the wards under the Imphal Municipality, Jirbam under Imphal East, Mayang Imphal under Imphal west,  Thoubal, Kakching, Nambol, Bishnupur, Ningthoukhong and Moirang Municipal Councils.
Further, election of the Nagar Panchayats of the state government will also be simultaneously held on January 3 next year to the areas of Andro, Lamlai in Imphal East, Sekmai, Lamshang, Lilong, Samurou, Wangoi,  Thongkhong Luxmi Bazar in Imphal West district, Lilong,  Yairipok, Sikhong, Nongpok Sekmai, Heirok, Wangjing, Lamding, Kakching Khunou, Sugunu in Thoubal district,  Oinam,  Kwakta and Kumbi in Bishnupur district.
As per the official election notification issued by the state election commission the last date of nomination of candidates to the said local body election in the state will be on December 13, next, scrutiny of the nomination papers will be done on December 14 next, last date of withdrawal of the nomination paper is December 16, date of poll will be on January 3 next year, which will start from 8am till 4pm in every polling stations.
On the other hand the official notification, date of repoll will be on January 5 and  counting of votes will be done on January 7 next year.
In the meantime, according an official source from the state election department, as done in previous years the election of the local bodies to the state will not be providing facilities of the Electronic Voting Machines in the proposed january 3 2011 election in the state .
Meanwhile, state police department as a part of the directives from the state government, to chalked out the security strategies for the ensuing elections to the local bodies in the state, a strong directive has been given to all concerns of officers in charge of the  Police stations and outposts under the Imphal West district to submit the list of police personnel of all rank posted in police stations, officers, branches, Out Posts along with their escort and LCs separately for the engagement/deployment of the personnel in the ensuing local body election to the state.