Administrative Preparations Underway

IMPHAL — With the term of the 60-member Manipur Legislative Assembly scheduled to conclude on March 13, 2027, the state administration has officially commenced its electoral groundwork. The Chief Electoral Officer has appointed 11 specialized nodal officers to oversee critical administrative domains ranging from law and order to transport and digital infrastructure.

The high-level appointments follow strategic directives issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in September, according to an official notification released by the state government.

Division of Responsibilities

The newly designated administrative leads bring targeted expertise to various facets of election management:

* Law and Order & Security: Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Kamei Angam Romanus has been tasked with overseeing security arrangements and maintaining public order across the state. * Excise Regulation: Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Hungyo Worshang will manage excise-related protocols during the electoral cycle. * Expenditure Monitoring: Konsam Binku has been assigned the responsibility of tracking and auditing election expenditure to ensure adherence to financial regulations. * Transport Logistics: Khumanthem Diana Devi will direct the transport arrangements necessary for the seamless movement of polling personnel and materials.

Additional officers have been assigned specialized duties covering computerization, advanced cybersecurity measures, inter-agency communication, and official coordination with appointed election observers.

ECI Review and EVM Readiness

The administrative appointments coincide with active ground-level reviews. A high-level delegation of senior ECI officials recently concluded a visit to Imphal to evaluate poll preparedness across Manipur's 16 districts. During the visit, district election officers and superintendents of police briefed the central team on grassroots logistical frameworks.

In tandem with administrative structuring, technical training has intensified. Authorities recently organized a comprehensive workshop focused on the first-level checking (FLC) of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units. Engineers from the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) conducted live demonstrations, detailing the rigorous technical and administrative safeguards implemented prior to field deployment.

The previous Assembly elections in Manipur were conducted in two phases on February 28 and March 5, 2022. As the state moves toward the 2027 cycle, election authorities are prioritizing robust technological safeguards and comprehensive multi-agency coordination.