ITANAGAR, 28 Nov: The State Election Commission (SEC) has, for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh, introduced on-the-spot voting facility for personnel engaged in poll duty for the upcoming municipal elections, instead of exercising their franchise through postal ballots.
According to an order issued by SEC Secretary Taru Talo on Thursday, the polling personnel, hailing from Itanagar and Pasighat – where the civic polls will be held – will have to apply for the facility to their respective municipal returning officer at least three days before the scheduled polling date, and attach a copy of the election duty appointment order.
The MRO, after verifying the identity and appointment order of the personnel, will mark the voter’s name on the electoral roll and provide a ballot paper for on-the-spot voting.
The order allows the MRO to fix the date, time, and place for casting the vote and mandates that contesting candidates, their election agents, or authorised representatives be informed and remain present during the voting.
Voters would cast their ballots either by sealing the ballot paper in an envelope given to the MRO or using the ballot box procedure under the election duty certificate (EDC). The MRO will retain the counterfoil of the ballot paper in a sealed cover for security and transparency, the order stated.
The order has been issued in exercise of the plenary powers conferred by Article 243ZA of the Constitution, which aims to ensure that officers serving on election duty do not miss their right to vote, thereby strengthening democratic participation.
The 12th general election to panchayat bodies and third municipal polls for Itanagar and Pasighat will be held simultaneously on 15 December.
There are 27 zilla parishads with 245 constituencies and 2,103 gram panchayats with 8,181 constituencies in the state.
The Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) has 20 wards, while the Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC) has eight wards.
A total of 8,31,648 voters are eligible to vote – 7,59,210 for the panchayat and 72,438 for municipal elections.
Upper Subansiri district has the highest number of panchayat voters at 61,142, while Dibang Valley has the lowest at 4,249.
In the municipalities, Itanagar’s Ward 19 has the highest number of voters (5,106), whereas Pasighat’s Ward 6 has the lowest (812).
The SEC will set up 2,171 polling stations for panchayat elections, 67 for the IMC and 12 for PMC.
EVMs will be used in the municipal elections, while panchayat polls will be conducted using ballot boxes.
Over 40,000 personnel, including 15,000 polling staffers, will be deployed.
The counting of votes is scheduled for 20 December.(PTI)
