Election Commission satisfied with poll prepardness in Nagaland

KOHIMA: The Election Commission has expressed satisfaction over poll preparedness in Nagaland where assembly election is due in March.

A full bench of the Election Commission was in the state for the past two days to assess its poll preparation.

After holding discussions with state civil and police officials at Dimapur, Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath told newsmen that 95 per cent of Photo Electoral Roll had been completed in the state.

He instructed the election officials to complete the remaining five per cent work before the coming assembly election.

The CEC said like in other parts of the country, expenditure monitoring during electioneering would be implemented in Nagaland to curb the practice of money power in elections.

A comprehensive set of instructions, he said, had been given to the state election department for expenditure monitoring.

Similarly, political parties and their candidates along with agents would be sensitized on this aspect through special workshops.

The tenure of the present Nagaland assembly expires on March 18.

The last assembly election was held in the state on March 5, 2008.

During the meetings with state officials, the EC made it clear the need to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election and that no compromise should be made on these three parameters.

The CEC admitted that there was a shortfall in the enrolment of young voters aged between 18 to 19 years and asked the election commission to identify such young voters.

Sampath said political parties in Nagaland requested for better security arrangements, deposition of arms, both authorized and unauthorized, proper identification of voters, no bogus voting in the election.

Sampath accompanied by two other election commissioners, H S Brahma and Syed Nasim Zaidi, was holding discussions with political parties, civil and police officials at Dimapur for the past two days.

The EC team today left for Agartala to assess poll preparations in Tripura.

Assembly elections in north eastern states of Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya are due in March.