Itanagar: Tawang District Election Officer (DEO) Kesang Ngurup Damo has appealed to all the political parties to follow the Election Commission of India’s model code of conduct (MCC) for free and fair polls during the ensuing bye-election to the Lumla Assembly Constituency in the district.
Addressing an all-party meeting at Tawang on Monday, the DEO said, “As per guidelines received from Election Commission of India, we have prepared ourselves for the bye-election to Lumla Assembly Constituency on war footing.”
He said that it was necessary to have a meeting with all the political parties, PRI members and senior members of the society to officially convey the gazette notification for the same from ECI (which is scheduled on January 31).
While pointing out that Losar festival falls within this election process, the DEO requested all the political parties and their candidates not to violate the model code of conduct and election guidelines “for free and fair conduct of elections”.
“As per Commission’s direction, we have already created static surveillance teams and video surveillance teams,” the DEO informed and requested the public to cooperate with these teams. To make the election process smooth, he further informed that Lumla area has been subdivided into ten sectors.
The Returning Officer for the bye-election, RD Thungon said we will be in constant touch with all the political parties and added that expenditures during the elections are to be maintained properly.
Like earlier elections, the RO office for the bye-election will be at the district headquarters, Tawang, he informed and added, “This is being done due to network issues. Moreover, all the election materials are in Tawang and shall be commissioned in Tawang only.”
He further told the parties that all election-related complaints, if any, are to be filed through the cVIGIL app. He, however, stated that all the nominations will be done offline mode in the RO office.
The Returning Officer also informed that the District Election Office has proposed three all-women polling stations in the ensuing bye-election.
Tawang district SP Bomge Kamduk appealed to all the political parties to help maintain peace, follow guidelines, and do campaigning for their candidates in a rightful manner.
The Lumla Assembly fell vacant following the demise of incumbent MLA Jambey Tashi on November 2 last year.
