Imphal: Regarding law and order and seizure, Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Rajesh Agrawal informed today that 17,187 i.e. 74.8% of total licensed arms (22,957) have been deposited and certain items, including cash, drugs, liquor, gold and others, amounting to Rs.78 crore have been seized till date in the state.
He further informed that 50 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed in the state and 75 more companies will be arriving in the next two weeks.
Mentioning on the election observers’ issue, the CEO stated that a total of 20 general observers, 11 police observers, 20 expenditure observers and 3 special observers namely special general observer Pravir Krishna, IAS (Retd), special police observer Arun Kumar, IPS (Retd) and special expenditure observer Rajesh Tuteja, Ex IRS (IT) will soon visit the State.
The CEO also stressed that children should not be used for election process, like campaigning, carrying of campaigning material and all political parties/candidates should comply with ECI Instructions on the matter. He added that pre certification by MCMC is mandatory for publication of political advertisements in newspapers on poll day and one day prior to poll by political parties/candidates. Further, manifestoes are not to be released during prohibitory period (last 48 hours before the close of poll) in both phases as prescribed under Section 126 of the RPA, 1951.
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