The State Election Commission (SEC) in Arunachal Pradesh has, for the first time, introduced an on-the-spot voting provision for personnel assigned to poll duty in the forthcoming municipal elections, allowing them to cast their votes directly instead of depending on postal ballots.
In an order issued on Thursday, SEC secretary Taru Talo stated that polling personnel hailing from Itanagar and Pasighat, the two municipalities going to the polls, must apply for the facility to their respective municipal returning officers (MROs) at least three days before polling day, enclosing a copy of their election duty appointment order.
After verifying the identity and appointment order, the MRO will mark the personnel’s names on the electoral roll and issue a ballot paper for immediate voting. The officers will cast their ballots either by sealing the paper in an envelope provided by the MRO or by using the ballot box procedure under the Election Duty Certificate (EDC) system.
The order empowers MROs to determine the date, time, and venue for the special voting and requires that contesting candidates, their election agents, or authorised representatives be notified and remain present during the process. For security and transparency, the counterfoil of every issued ballot paper will be retained in sealed cover.
Also read: India calls China's Arunachal detention arbitrary and unhelpful
Invoking the plenary powers granted under Article 243ZA of the Constitution, the SEC noted that the initiative aims to ensure that personnel deployed on election duty do not forfeit their right to vote, thereby strengthening democratic participation at the grassroots.
The 12th general election to panchayat bodies and the third municipal polls for Itanagar and Pasighat will be held simultaneously on December 15. Arunachal Pradesh has 27 zilla parishads comprising 245 constituencies and 2,103 gram panchayats with 8,181 constituencies.
The Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) includes 20 wards, while the Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC) consists of eight. A total of 8,31,648 electors are eligible to vote, 7,59,210 for the panchayats and 72,438 for the municipal bodies. Upper Subansiri has the largest panchayat electorate at 61,142, whereas Dibang Valley has the smallest at 4,249.
Within the municipalities, Itanagar’s Ward 19 has the highest number of electors at 5,106, while Pasighat’s Ward 6 has the lowest at 812. The SEC will establish 2,171 polling stations for panchayat elections, 67 for IMC and 12 for PMC.
Electronic Voting Machines will be used for municipal polling, while ballot boxes will be deployed for panchayat elections. More than 40,000 personnel, including around 15,000 polling staff, will be on duty. Counting is scheduled for 20 December.
Follow us
