As per ECI announcement, Manipur will go to polls on February 27 (Ist phase) and March 3 (2nd phase). Last date for filing nomination is February 8 (1st phase) and February 11 (2nd phase). Scrutiny will be held on February 9 (1st phase) and February 14 (2nd Phase). Issue of notification on February 1 (1st phase) and February 4 (2nd phase). Counting of votes will take place on March 10. The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect immediately and will be applicable across the State.
TFM Desk
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedules for Assembly Elections to Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh Assemblies on Saturday afternoon.
The five states – Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand will vote over seven phases starting February 10, with counting of votes scheduled for March 10.
Uttar Pradesh will vote in each of the seven phases – on February 10, February 14, February 20, February 23, February 27, March 3, and March 7.
Punjab, Goa, and Uttarakhand will vote on February 14.
Manipur will vote in two phases on February 27 March 3.
A total of 690 Assembly constituencies will vote over the next two months, with the maximum in UP (403 seats) followed by Punjab (117), Uttarakhand (70), Manipur (60) and Goa (40).
The schedule for the General Elections is as under:
| Sl. No. | Poll Event | First Phase | Second Phase |
| 1. | Issue of Notification | 01.02.2022 (Tuesday) | 04.02.2022 (Friday) |
| 2. | Last date of making Nominations | 08.02.2022 (Tuesday) | 11.02.2022 (Friday) |
| 3. | Scrutiny of Nominations | 09.02.2022 (Wednesday) | 14.02.2022 (Monday) |
| 4. | Last date for withdrawal of Candidature | 11.02.2022 (Friday) | 16.02.2022 (Wednesday) |
| 5. | Date of Poll | 27.02.2022 (Sunday) | 03.03.2022 (Thursday) |
| 6. | Counting of Votes | 10.03.2022 (Thursday) | |
| 7. | Date before which the election process shall be completed | 12.03.2022 (Saturday) | |
In the First Phase, Assembly Constituencies going for polls are 1-Khundrakpam, 2-Heingang, 3-Khurai, 4-Khetrigao, 5-Thongju, 6-Keirao, 7-Andro, 8-Lamlai, 9-Thangmeiband, 10-Uripok, 11-Sagolband, 12-Keisamthong, 13-Singjamei, 14-Yaiskul, 15 Wangkhei, 16-Sekmai (SC), 17-Lamsang, 18-Konthoujam, 19-Patsoi, 20-Langthabal, 21- Naoria Pakhanglakpa, 22-Wangoi, 23-Mayang Imphal, 24-Nambol, 25-Oinam, 26-Bishenpur, 27-Moirang, 28-Thanga, 29-Kumbi, 46-Saikul (ST), 50-Kangpokpi, 51-Saitu (ST), 55- Tipaimukh(ST), 56-Thanlon(ST), 57-Henglep(ST), 58 Churachandpur (ST), 59-Saikot(ST), and 60-Singhat(ST).
In the Second Phase, Assembly Constituencies going for polls are 30-Lilong, 31-Thoubal, 32-Wangkhem, 33-Heirok, 34-Wangjing Tentha, 35-Khangabok, 36- Wabgai, 37-Kakching, 38-Hiyanglam, 39-Sugnoo, 40-Jiribam, 41-Chandel (ST), 42- Tengnoupal (ST), 43-Phungyar (ST), 44-Ukhrul (ST), 45-Chingai (ST), 47-Karong (ST), 48-Mao (ST), 49-Tadubi (ST),52-Tamei (ST), 53-Tamenglong (ST) and 54-Nungba (ST).
CEO stated that Silence Period has been extended from 48 hours to 72 hours from the close of poll. Maximum number of star campaigners for recognized parties has been restricted to 30 instead of 40. For unrecognized parties, it has been restricted to 15 instead of 20. ECI has also directed that no physical meeting, roadshow, procession, cycle/bike/vehicle rally will be allowed till 15th January, 2022.
The Election Commission of India has also come up with “Broad Guidelines for Conduct of General Election/Bye Election during COVID-19”. The number of persons to accompany a candidate during nomination has been restricted to only two. The number of vehicles allowed to enter the premises of RO is also restricted to two. Maximum numbers of persons allowed for door to door campaign is only five including the candidate. All political parties/candidates shall comply with COVID SOPs while campaigning and during the poll.
CEO, Manipur and District Functionaries are committed to comply with the guidelines on COVID issued by ECI and State Authorities in letter and spirit. Necessary arrangements are being made to ensure a COVID safe election. All polling stations will be sanitised one day before poll. Adequate facilities for hand wash, proper marking, social distancing norms, thermal scanners shall be ensured. The services of ASHA workers & volunteers shall be utilised to ensure sanitisation and queue management. Voters will be provided with face mask and hand gloves for casting votes. Polling personnel will also be equipped with sanitizers and PPE kits. Efforts will be made to vaccinate all the polling personnel with two doses along with additional precautionary booster dose. Adequate efforts will also be made to increase the percentage of electors vaccinated.
Election Commission has made provision for postal ballot to Persons with Disabilities whose names are marked in the electoral rolls and who possess disability certificates. This facility is also extended to senior citizens above the age of 80 and electors who are quarantined due to COVID. This facility will be made optional to the electors. PwD electors will also be provided with vehicles, volunteers and wheelchairs wherever required.
The Final Photo Electoral Rolls of all 60 (sixty) Assembly Constituencies have been published on 5th January, 2022 by the concerned Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). Accordingly, there are 9,85,119 male, 10,49,639 female and 208 Transgender electors. The number of PwD electors stands at 14565, while the number of 80+ electors is 41867. The total number of polling stations is 2959.
This time, M-3 EVMs manufactured by Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL) shall be used in all the polling stations. First Level Checking of machines has been completed. There are 4713 Ballot Units, 4557 Control Units and 4945 VVPATs available in the State. Two Master Trainers per Assembly Constituency have been trained at CEO’s Office and training at district level for polling personnel is going on. Adequate emphasis is also given on creating awareness on EVMs. Demonstration Centres were set up in all offices of District Election Officers and Returning Officers for familiarization from 01.12.2021 till date. Besides, Demonstration Vans were also moving around the polling stations across the State. Over 1 lakh mock polled votes were cast at Demonstration Centres and all polling station locations through Mobile Demonstration Vans.
Six Assembly Constituencies have been identified as Expenditure Sensitive Constituencies: 7-Andro, 22-Wangoi, 23-Mayang Imphal, 28-Thanga 30-Lilong, 58-Churachandpur (ST). 180 Flying Squad Teams, 180 Static Surveillance Teams, 60 Video Surveillance Teams, 60 Video Viewing Teams, 60 Accounting Teams have been appointed and trained and these teams have been activated immediately. A meeting with Enforcement Agencies — Income Tax, Customs, Excise, Narcotics, BSF, CISF, Enforcement Directorate was also held on 10′ December, 2021 and deliberated at length on the expenditure aspects. The ceiling of expenditure by candidate has been enhanced to Rs.28 lakhs. Candidates are required to open separate bank account (atleast one day before filing nomination) for the purpose of expenditure related to elections. Banks have been intimated to facilitate opening of separate bank accounts for candidates and also to report on suspicious cash transactions on daily basis.
Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers have undergone training conducted by IIIDEM on various topics including Qualification, Disqualification, Nomination, Scrutiny, Model Code of Conduct, Expenditure, Postal Ballots, EVMs, Poll Day Arrangement etc. All District Election Officers have also been trained. District Nodal Officers for Model Code of Conduct, Media, EVMs, Expenditure, Complaints, have also been trained.
341 Sector Officers have been appointed and trained and visited the polling stations for identification of vulnerable locations and voter segments. A total of 1099 polling locations and 763 polling locations have been identified as vulnerable and critical. Steps also have been taken to identify history sheeters, trouble mongers and persons causing vulnerability and are bound down under Cr.P.C. As a measure to curb pre poll violence, 11767 licensed arms have been made deposited to the nearest police stations out of 25299 till date. Besides deploying Micro Observers, majority of these Critical & Vulnerable polling stations will be brought under Webcasting/Videography. Additional CAPF will also be deployed in such polling stations.
About 6588 vehicles of different types shall be required for polling personnel and security personnel on poll duty. An additional 3000 heavy vehicles will be requisitioned from Assam and Nagaland. CEO, Manipur appeals government departments and transport associations to extend necessary support to meet the requirements of vehicles.
Five rounds of meeting have been held with recognized National/State Political Parties functioning in Manipur. The political parties have been extending full cooperation during the Revision period and in the run up to Elections by giving valuable feedback and suggestion. Political parties have also been sensitized on EVMs, Model Code of Conduct, Expenditure, c-Vigil, Pre Certification of Political Advertisement, IT Apps. Political parties have also been informed on the requirement of publication of criminal antecedents of candidates in newspapers/TV on three different occasions in addition to publication on their website and to report compliance as per Supreme Court’s order.
State Level MCMC, Pre Certification Committee and District MCMC have been constituted to pre-certify political advertisements and check paid news. Political Parties/Candidates have to apply atleast 48 hours in advance for publication of political advertisements in electronic media including social media. All political advertisements to be published in electronic media shall be mandatorily pre-certified by MCMC.
Permission may be obtained online for holding meeting, campaign etc. by candidates/political parties 48 hours in advance. Complaints may be lodged through c-Vigil where a complainant may upload picture/video and report MCC violation. Complaint shall be disposed of within 100 minutes. Adequate Flying Squad Teams have been appointed and trained. Adequate publicity on c-Vigil is being done through Newspaper Ads, Hoardings, Social Media etc. Any citizen can also dial Toll Free Number 1950 for any election related queries.
Adequate number of General Observers, Police Observers and Expenditure Observers and are proposed to be deployed across the State. The contact details of Observers will be made available once communicated by ECI.
Various voter awareness activities were taken up at Booth, Assembly Constituency, District and State levels involving youth, PwD, Transgender Icons. Special campaigns were carried out to ensure no eligible voter is left behind. Targetted programmes in collaboration with vital stake holders, NGOs & CSOs working in the field of Persons with Disabilities and Transgenders have been carried out to ensure enrolment of and marking of eligible PwD & Transgender electors in the electoral roll. Extensive social media campaigns were also carried out for online enrolment¬NVSP, Voter portal, Voter Helpline, 1950, PwD App etc. It is worth mentioning that 29% of forms were received online as compared to a meagre 10% in the last revision.
Besides, there was a quantum jump in the enrolment/marking of PwD electors by 94% from 7520 to 14565. Further, 300 lowest voter turnout polling stations were identified under Mission 300 programme and targeted interventions to increase voter turnout in these polling stations have been carried out. Electoral Literacy Clubs at 528 schools and 46 colleges have been established and activated to spread voter education. Besides, Voter Awareness Forums have been established at Directorate Level and District Level Offices. Series of awareness activities for higher voter turnout and informed & ethical voting are also being carried out.
Additional CEO, N. Praveen Singh, Joint CEO, Manipur, Ramananda Nongmeikapam, Joint CEO (II), Manipur, Md. S. Daulat Khan, State Nodal Officers and officials concerned were also present.
With the announcement of the election schedules, the model code of conduct came into force banning the government from taking any decision that can influence the poll outcome. The MCC is operational from the date that the election schedule is announced till the date that results are announced.
Out of the five states which go to poll, Punjab is ruled by Congress, the BJP is in power in the remaining four states.
The Manipur Legislative Assembly has 60 seats, out of which 19 are reserved for STs.
As of July 2021, the BJP has the highest number of MLAs with 29 seats, INC has 15, NPF and NPP have four and three MLAs. The Trinamool has one MLA and there is one independent MLA. Seven seats are lying vacant.
Despite having the second largest number of MLAs after the results of the 2017 assembly election were announced, BJP, having 21 seats came to power in alliance with other parties. The Congress, having the single largest MLAs with 28, missed out.
According to the recently announced Final Photo Electoral Rolls, the total number of electors in the state is 20,34,966.
Gender Ratio as on date of Final Publication with electors as per Final Roll w.r.t. 1/1/2022 as the qualifying date is 1,065 with Male – 9,85,119; Female -10,49,639 and Third Gender – 208.
As per Final Roll 2022, Electors to Population Ratio (EP Ratio) is 57.70 as compared to the Draft Electoral Roll figure of 55.81. With the increase of 65 new polling stations, the total number of polling stations is 2,959. There is 95% increase in the marking of Person with Disabilities (PWDs) i.e. from 7,520 to 14,565.