Arunachal Pradesh Election Commission on Thursday announced plans to hold the Panchayat & Municipal Polls in December 2020. The total electorate for both PRIs & Municipal bodies is 7,39,284. As many as 2,175 polling stations have been set up for the upcoming polls. EVMs will be used for Municipal bodies whereas Ballot boxes are being used for PRI elections. It is to be noted that this will be the first general election after the conversion from three tier Panchayats to two tier system in the State.
For the first time in the history of Panchayat election the State Election Commission will deploy 27 Election Observers i.e one for each district including two municipal bodies among the senior level officers who will function as the eyes and ears of the State Election Commission. More than 40,000 personnel will be engaged in the election process. An elaborate security arrangement will also be made to ensure a free and fair local body election. Control rooms will be set up at different levels such as PHQs, SEC, DEO’s office etc. to monitor the entire process of elections.
In view of the COVID-19 situation the commission has issued SoPs to be followed by the Election officials as well as by the candidates & political parties during the process of election.
The endeavor of the State Election Commission is not merely to conduct the already delayed local body elections but to also minimize the risk of the possible spread of the virus and to conduct the elections in a free and transparent way. The State Election Commission had therefore appealed to all the stakeholders including the State Govt & political parties to extend their helping hand & co-operation to ensure that the local body elections are held in a peaceful manner.