Shillong, Nov 22: Deputy Election Commissioner of India Alok Shukla had a close door meeting with the Meghalaya home department principal secretary KS Kropha, other home department officials and the Meghalaya Inspector General of Police (IGP) in-charge of Meghalaya election Vijay Kumar and discuss the importance of ensuring a free and fair election in Garo hills sector in the 2013 February Assembly elections.
The meeting becomes important in the backdrop of the GNLA chairman Champion R Marak open appeal to the GNLA cadres to support the Congress party during the election. Political parties in Meghalaya have expressed their concern over the militant outfit chief appeal to his cadres saying that the GNLA might coerce the electorates to vote for the Congress party.
The Congress, however, has distance itself from the appeal of the GNLA chief.
Speaking to www.ohmeghalaya.com after the meeting with the state election officials including the Meghalaya chief electoral officer P Naik and deputy commissioners of all the ten districts at Pinewood Hotel Thursday forenoon, Shukla skirted a direct reply to a query about the GNLA chief appeal and instead said, “ We discussed all the issues, including the law and order and the election department will ensure that the 2013 state election is “fair and free.”
Speaking about the poll preparedness of the election department and law enforcing agencies Shukla informed that adequate security arrangement will be made especially for Garo hills during the election. He, however, refuse to divulge the number of companies of para-military forces to deployed in the militants infested areas of Garo hills saying, “ I cannot divulge anything right now. “
Drawing his attention to the public declaration made by the arrested GNLA chairman Champion R Sangma to his outfit cadres to support the Congress during the upcoming election, Shukla said that the Election Commission takes cognizance of any type attempt to disrupt the process of election and will takes adequate steps to ensure a “free and fair election.” – By Our Reporter
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