Imphal: With the closing of the last date of nominations for the first phase of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly election, at least 15 women figured in the list of 176 candidates who have filed nominations across 38 assembly constituencies, a top Election commission official said here on Thursday.
Sixty nominations of 38 candidates have been received for the second phase in the remaining 22 constituencies. The nomination paper of one candidate of Saikot AC has been rejected and 175 candidates are validly nominated, said Rajesh Agrawal, Chief Election Officer, Manipur.
Agrawal further informed that altogether 529 polling stations across eleven districts in the state will be manned by all women officers that include: Imphal East (130), Churachandpur (110), Thoubal (71), Imphal West (53) Bishnupur (50), Ukhrul (45), Tamenglong (33), Chandel (20), Kangpokpi (9), Jiribam (5), Senapati (3), all will have Women Polling personnel. Further, 115 Model Polling Stations will also be established, he added.
The Commissioner further advised all the candidates having criminal antecedents to publish it in Format C-1 and report compliance to RO, immediately on three occasions.
Taking note of the receding Covid cases in the state, the Poll panel chief said that outdoor physical meeting is now allowed up to 50 percent of the capacity of the Indoor Hall and 30 percent of the open ground or as fixed by DEOs as per the requirement of social distancing norms, whichever is less.
Organisers of such Political meetings will be responsible for any breach of Covid related protocols and guidelines, Agrawal added.
