North East India Development Party (NEIDP) on Sunday joined the chorus of other political parties demanding special SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) for the Assembly segments which will go to by-polls in Manipur.
Congress party in Manipur and CPI Manipur state council have been pressing both the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manipur and the state government to formulate a special SOP for the Assembly segments which will go to by-elections.
The by-elections to five Assembly segments spread over four districts of the state will be held on November 7.
While demanding enforcement of a special SOP, the Congress had observed a few days ago that holding by-elections under the prevailing situation is very risky as the state government is yet to make any official announcement.
The CPI Manipur state council had also demanded enforcement of the special SOP in the poll-bound Assembly constituencies while announcing that the party will stay away from participating in the by-polls.
NEIDP vice president and ex-MLA Dr I Ibohanbi said there is a grim COVID-19 situation in the state.
“If the surge in the cases of COVID-19 goes on like this, the state’s infection tally will be double the present infection mark of 15,000 at the end of the current month, October,” he observed. “Holding by-elections in this prevailing situation is a matter of concern”, he said, while stressing the need for enforcing a stricter SOP in the by-poll bound Assembly segments.
“If a special SOP is not enforced, the situation will be worsened”, he said, while drawing the attention of the pertinent authorities in this regard.
The NEIDP vice president was talking to reporters on the sideline of a function remembering MK Priyobarta, the first chief minister of Manipur.
NNN