In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Mr Sangma said that he was not aware of the transfer order and that he did not speak to any minister including Chief Minister JD Rymbai regarding the transfer or posting of BDOs in Garo Hills including that of Mr Momin.

"I am no way involved in the transfer and posting of BDOs to different blocks of Garo Hills. I always prefer to have MCS officers as BDOs rather than extension officers," Mr Sangma said.

Terming the dragging of his name in the latest case of transfer as, "uncalled for," Mr Sangma said, "it is the duty and discretionary power of the State government to issue such orders and to cancel them thereafter in the interest of the public and not in the interest of the person concerned."

Meanwhile, speaking to The Shillong Times, C&RD Minister Irin Lyngdoh said that the transfer order of Mr Momin from the post of BDO to that of Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC), Tura was issued by the Personnel Department. She also informed that the order had not come to her as yet. "The transfer is done by the Personnel Department since Mr Momin is an MCS officer. The C&RD Department has no say on transfer or posting of MCS officers and till now I have not yet received the transfer order of Mr Momin," Mrs Lyngdoh said.

On the status of probe into the massive misuse of Centrally sponsored funds in various blocks of Garo Hills, Mrs Lyngdoh said that most of the inquiry reports have not been completed either by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) or the Deputy Commissioners.

"Our action against the erring BDOs will depend on the inquiry reports but we have transferred some of the BDOs to show that we are serious about action against them," Mrs Lyngdoh added. She also said that the case of Beckstar K Sangma is being processed by the Political Department.

The bus was on its way from Jowai to Shilliang Myntang when the accident took place. All the injured were shifted to Ummolong CHC and Jowai Civil Hospital.

SURRENDER: one ANLF cadre identified as Bamsrang surrendered before police on Tuesday at Shillong along with one Chinese hand grenade.

BODY FOUND: Body of a person identified as Shynrang Sumer (55) of Panaliar village in Jowai was found in a forest at Umladoh village, Jaintia Hills on Wednesday. Police suspect it to be a case of suicide.

In a statement issued here, the SBI Assistant General Manager (Regional Bank Recruitment) said that reservation of posts in both existing and future vacancies in the Bank's Nongkyndong Ri Khasi-Jaintia is based on government policy regarding Group C and D posts, which stipulates one per cent for Scheduled Caste, 44 per cent for Scheduled Tribe and five per cent for OBC. 

"In the absence of any reservation, the aspiring candidates from ST category will compete for general category of vacancies which is open for all. However, no relaxation of any kind will be available to them which is usually available in the case of reserved vacancies," the statement said.

It may be mentioned that recently, the KHNAM Shillong City Committee had asked the SBI authorities to stay the proposed recruitment as there was no clear cut reservation for local indigenous people under ST category for the posts despite the bank having more branches in rural areas of the State. The party also demanded a fair deal for the local people of the State in the matter.

The president of JHDCC Mr Edmund S Lyngdoh said that the expulsion order was issued on Wednesday since Mr Pariat, instead of responding to the show-cause notice, blamed the party leaders for the present crisis. He said that decision to this effect was jointly taken by the president of MPCC, EC of JHDCC and Congress Parliamentary Party.

"As per the Prevention of Defection act, 2004 of JHADC, if any member is expelled from any political party, he becomes an Independent MDC and in this case Mr Pariat can not hold the position of the CEM of JHADC," he said.

The meeting, while expressing concern over the remarks made by Mr Pariat against the state leaders, decided take action against the Pariat supporters in due course of time.

Informing this at a press conference here on Wednesday, Mr Sutnga said that he had informed the Chief Minister about the signal sent by the UPDS leadership to the KHNAM for an agreement on bringing back peace in the disputed Blocks I and II of Karbi Anglong.

"I had told Mr Rymbai that I am willing to be nominated as the official negotiator of the State government in this regard, so that I can carry forward the peace process," Mr Sutnga said, adding that though the decision is yet to be taken by the State government, the Chief Minister had asked him to "go ahead with the initiative."

Expressing his concern at the "air of cynicism" from some political quarters over the KHNAM's move for peace dialogue with the UDPS, Mr Sutnga said that his party was serious on the issue and that the move is not at all a political gimmick.

"On this issue I have tried to rise above party politics and if this air of cynicism is fostered, it will only create hurdles in our initiative," Mr Sutnga said adding that the issue needs to be seen from both the historical perspective and ground reality.

The KHNAM leader also said that his party wanted to have a public consensus on the issue in order to start the process of forming a Coordination Committee with the UPDS as a first step. He also informed that a meeting of all organisations, headmen of Pangam-Raliang areas, and the Dolloi of Raliang Mr Chawas Lyngdoh would be held in Jowai on February 10 to discuss the matter.

Mr Sutnga also said that recently he had discussions with State NCP president Dr Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi and Garo Students' Union (GSU) Khasi Hills Zone president Aldo A Sangma regarding the complaint that ANVC militants indulged in criminal activities and terror in Khasi villages of West Khasi Hills. He also said that the KHNAM would not tolerate such kind of activities by the ANVC in "Hynniewtrep" areas.

We are in the 21st century only by virtue of the Roman calendar. In terms of beliefs and customs we remain caged in time. This dichotomy is eroding the bedrock of traditional institutions. The tragedy is that when the erosion is complete TIs will collapse under their own weight. Reformation is therefore of the utmost importance. Traditionally, the role if TIs was essentially to adjudicate disputes and to ensure equal access to common property resources such as forests, water, farm land, residential land, jhum fields etc. In other words, they were intrinsically opposed to the idea of private ownership of community resources.

Today, the danger is to misconstrue the role of traditional institutions and mistake them. for development agencies. Several Dorbars are now attempting to play the role of an implementing agency which executes the MLA schemes. In so doing their roles have been diminished to that of a sub-contractor helping an MLA to channelise his funds. Collusion between the MLA and the executive committee or the Rangbah Shnong (headman) cannot be ruled out because the Dorbar do not come under any formal accounting system. Many do not maintain books of accounts so there is really nothing to audit. In a village/locality, none would dare to ask that the books of accounts be made public. To do so would be to invite social ostracism.

Traditional institutions are not linked to formal institutions of governance. Very often the Rangbah Shnong visits the Block Development Office to 'ask' for development schemes for his village. Here too the community is hardly aware of the schemes articulated by the and implemented or the amount expended on each scheme. The Dorbar is as heirarchical as a monarchy. If a Rangbah Shnong is fairly educated and knows the ropes he could manipulate his position without anyone getting any wiser. There ia absolutely no system of accountability. This is the weakest link in the long, loosely crafted chain. Even the process of selecting a Rangbah Shnong is highly arbitrary.

A traditional institution might have had its advantages at a time when private wealth and accumulation was unknown. Indeed these institutions were regulatory in nature in that they ensured a semblance of egalitarianism. Today, forests, water bodies, water sources catchment areas are nearly all privately owned. Tragically, it is the TIs which in most cases have facilitated appropriation of community resources by private individuals. The Dorbar has no authority over how private owners use those resources. Within a village, large scale felling of trees in private forests would shock even the apathetic. But the Dorbar's only refrain is, 'we have no control over private property'.

In village after village the complaint is the same. Water bodies are drying up. Large scale deforestation has virtually destroyed the catchment areas. Water is getting scarce by the day. Yet community mobilization on this issue is virtually absent. Village communities express their helplessness but expect the government to conjure up some magic solution. Women are basically at the receiving end. They fetch water from long distances at great cost to their health. In Garo Hills women even carry their utensils to the streams for washing.

But where resource mobilization is concerned, the Dorbar can be extremely resourceful. A Rangbah Shnong in the urban area exercises extra-constitutional powers when it comes to transactions relating to sale and purchase of land and property in his jurisdiction. Each shnong (village) fixes its own percentage to be paid by the contracting parties to the Shnong. Now how this money is ultimately used is nobody's business. In this the Dorbar show a grave sense of responsibility. But 

talk of other civic responsibilities such as garbage disposal or the cleaning of water bodies which have been used as garbage dumps and the immediately reaction is, 'we do not have the wherewithal'.

Dorbars continue to exclude women. This is more visible in rural areas. In the urban centres, women may be part of the larger Dorbar but are ingeniously excluded from executive committees where important decisions are taken. To that extent the Dorbar represents the last bastion of patriarchy in a matrilineal society.

Only someone who has no understanding of these faulty underpinnings in traditional institutions would sing hallelujah to them. Yet these institutions are important enough to demand a serious engagement with them. Traditional institutions can and should transform into engines of development but with sharp deviations from their present form. If they are sufficiently capacitated and staffed and linked to the various line departments in a formal arrangement, they can contribute immensely. Book keeping and regular auditing are imperative. Women and youth should be included, not as separate wings subservient to the Dorbar, but, as equal members.

This could be the beginning. Other changes can be introduced as and when the need arises. As of now each Dorbar functions under very flexible norms. No two Dorbar have similar parameters. Whether this is a good idea is a moot point. But these are certainly issues that need serious deliberation. The deliberation should lead to desirable, practicable outcomes. The PRI ministry could facilitate this deliberation.

The examinations started on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Rio said the Nagaland Cabinet had approved the decision last year. "Though the Union HRD Ministry said that the states have to manage the matter, we will impress upon the Centre to solve the matter."

He said the Government is appealing to the NSCN(K) through churches and members of civil society not to disrupt the examinations on humanitarian ground. According to Mr Rio, education of children is universal. "Your children can study anywhere in the word and there should not be any restriction," he said.

The Chief Minister said the Government will provide security to the students who are appearing the examinations.

Mr Rio made it clear that it was due to the appeal of the students that the Cabinet had taken a decision regarding school affiliation. "It is not our intention, the decision was as per the need and the Union Ministry should solve the matter", he added.

UNI reports: Despite threats from NSCN(K), students from Manipur appeared in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination peacefully here, on Wednesday. Altogether 2244 out of the 2658 students from the four hills districts of Manipur -- Senapati, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Chandel -- are appearing the metriculation examination in Viswema in Kohima district and Dimapur districts. Kohima centre has 1187 students out of 1364 students from Senapati and Tamenglong districts while Dimapur centres has 1057 out of 1294 students from Chandel and Ukhrul districts of Manipur.

Shillong: The MDC of Malki-Laitumkhrah constituency Bindo M Lanong on Wednesday sought Chief Minister JD Rymbai's intervention into the alleged forcible abduction and torture of one Merila Kharphuli and her son Michael by Manipur police.

The crux of the matter stands somewhat as follows. Michael Kharphuli from Nongmynsong had a love affair with a Manipuri girl, Tamtha Sana Devi, of the same locality as his, and they lived together as husband and wife.

Their relationship was frowned upon by the girl's parents, who filed a complaint in a Court at Imphal falsely accusing Michael of kidnapping Tamtha Devi from Manipur. After the case was registered, the Court fixed February 6 as the date of appearance for both Michael and his mother.

Before the mother and son could leave for Imphal, the lover duo (Michael and Tamtha) were sought to be forcibly carried away by some Manipuri policemen, who were however intercepted by Meghalaya police, and the duo produced before the Court of the Additional District Magistrate (ADM).

After perusing the records and hearing the counsel for the accused, the Court released them on conditional bail. Michael and his mother left Shillong on February 2 for Imphal to appear in the Court there.

When they appeared before the Investigating Officer of the case at Imphal on February 6, the same Manipuri policemen who had earlier came to Shillong, forcibly dragged both Michael and his mother, and allegedly physically tortured them, besides abusing and intimidating them in the most savage manner, so that both of them had to be referred to hospital for medical check-up on Wednesday.

Thus, with the life of the son and mother being at stake, Mr Lanong has sought the intervention of the Meghalaya Government in the matter.

Shillong: The State Government has initiated measures to compare the rates for High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) with other states. The Government may come up with the comparison rate by February 15.

It has become mandatory for all people owning vehicles in the State to apply for the High Security Registration Plates (HSRP), following the High Court order issued late last year with regard to its implementation. Official sources told The Shillong Times that it is mandatory to have the HSRP for all types of vehicles in the State.

However, the Government at present is comparing the rates the scheme's implementation in other states, the source said adding that this would be done by February 15.

This will bring out information on whether the other states are implementing the scheme at a lower rate and if there is a disparity - how much is it, the source said. After the comparison, the State Government will meet and discuss the matter with the NGOs, the source added.

Shillong: The Meghalaya College Teachers' Association (MCTA) and The Meghalaya Joint Council of Trade Unions and the Associations (MJCTU&A) have expressed solidarity with the ten teachers of St Peters College whose services were terminated recently and decided to lend support to the democratic protest starting from February 8.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, MCTA general secretary Mr HWT Syiem said that the decision to support the democratic protest rally was made after seeing the negative response on the part of the college to look into the appeals of the affected teachers.

Moreover, he pointed out that even the appeals to the concerned authorities have also not yielded the desired outcome. He said that the MCTA appeals to the authorities of the College to see reason and sit for dialogue with the stakeholders so that the stalemate may be resolved to the benefit of all concerned.

MCTA said that the association maintains that education is a public affair and everything related to it directly or indirectly has a bearing on the public welfare and hence all matters connected to imparting education at any level must concern public interest irrespective of the nature of management.

Mr Syiem further called upon the all sections of people including the students, teachers, employees and NGOs to lend their valuable and active support for the sake of a better and healthy democratic academic environment in the State.

The MJCTU&A, while expressing strong resentment over the termination, urged upon the Education Minister to intervene in the matter at the earliest.

Further, it stated that if the matter is not settled by February 12, the MJCTU&A in its meeting scheduled on February 13 will chalk out suitable agitational programme in support of the agitating teachers of the College.

In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, Ri-Bhoi District on Wednesday, the Syiem said that the allegations made by the CORP against the Syiem of Raid Marwet for issuing land documents to non-tribals was completely false.

"The fact of the matter is that the Syiem of Raid Marwet had given renewal of land documents only to those non-tribals whose cases are genuine ones" the Syiem of Raid Marwet clarified while adding that the CORP was unable to prove or show to the concerned authorities that land documents had been given to non-tribals discriminately.

The Syiem of Raid Marwet also said that it was incorrect to say that the Bhoi Mikir (Karbis) and the Garos cannot or own land in Meghalaya.

Reacting to the doubts raised by the CSWO that the body of the person buried at Rudrapur, Uttranchal, was not that of Anthony Kharhujon, son of Ms Happiness Kharhujon, Sohra, the Seng Kur said that it had found the allegation against Ms Dohling false and baseless after "thoroughly inquiring into the matter."

"If the relatives of late Anthony were truly concerned, they could have easily approached the concerned authorities to carry out a DNA test to establish the fact once and for all," the Seng Kur wondered.

The Seng Kur is ready to cooperate if the relatives or the CSWO want a DNA test to be done even now, a Seng Kur statement released here said.

"In stead of frequently issuing press statements against Ms Dohling, the CSWO and relatives of the missing boy should take concrete action to verify the identity of the body and settle the issue," the Seng Kur said.

Shillong: The Federation of All Ad Hoc Secondary School Teachers' Association of Meghalaya has urged independent MLA from Mawprem, Manas Chaudhuri to take up with both the Centre and the State Governments the plight of ad hoc secondary school teachers in the State.

In a memorandum to Mr Chaudhuri, the Association said that the existence of wide disparities in the present structure of pay and incentives or grants that are being sanctioned to the Government, deficit pattern and the ad hoc or Government aided schools have been brought to the Government's notice time and again. Unfortunately, these matters have not been duly addressed till date and steps have not been taken as yet, at least, even to minimise the existing disparity, the Association said.

The Association while pointing out that there was no sanction of grants for the post of the head of institutions, adequate number of teaching staff and maintenance of non-teaching staff such as LDA and grade IV staff, demanded specific provision for separate sanction of grants in this regard.

The current sanction of grant-in-aid for the maintenance of teaching staff in the Governmental schools is Rs 3,000 against each teacher and this is quite inadequate even to fulfil the bare minimum needs of an individual, it said adding "Grants should be also sanctioned for the post of two Science teacher - one to teach Ccience and the other to teach Maths as at this juncture the same is supposed to teach both the subjects."

Funds or Government aid should be sanctioned to construct and also effect necessary repairs in order to improve the overall school infrastructure such as building, campus, electrification, furniture, toilets, drinking water, teaching aids, science lab and library on a regular sustained way, the Association proposed.

According to the Association, the Government should also devise and pursue a policy of upgradation of the existing Government aided schools on the basis of a standard criteria by according the benefit of deficit grant-in-aid or status of provincialisation in a phased and sustained manner.

The leadership tussle in the BJP seems to have moved to the next phase. During the six years of the NDA regime, the media often wrote about Vajpayee versus Advani and their real or imaginary fights. Today, the media writes about Advani versus new BJP president Rajnath Singh. This is because Vajpayee has been able to carve out a role for himself as an elder statesman but Advani still remains in the ring and talks of becoming the next Prime Minister. However, it is clear that Advani will continue to dominate the party and Rajnath is no patch to him.

Since Rajnath Singh took over from Advani in Mumbai last year, the relationship has not been smooth. First of all, Singh does not have the same stature as Advani. Consequently, he began his presidency with an inferiority complex, depending on the support of the RSS. Rajnath also made it clear that he would rather go by the guidance from the RSS rather than Advani who had been humiliated by the RSS following the Jinnah episode. How could Advani forget the way the RSS forced him to announce his resignation from the post of the party president in Chennai in 2005? Since he took over last year, Singh has been trying to find his place in the party. If anyone thought he was unsure of himself last year because he was only seen as a stop gap president, the Lucknow national executive of the party has elected him as president for a full three-year term. That seems to have boosted his confidence.

However, the new team announced by Rajnath Singh on Tuesday shows that Advani still has an upper hand. The simple logic is that Rajnath Singh inherited a team put in place by his predecessor Venkaiah Naidu. Everyone knows that Naidu's team, in effect, was filled with people close to Advani. When Singh took over from Venkaiah in 2005 January, he retained the team and did not make changes. Now that he has been elected for a full term of three years, everyone expected him to put his stamp. But he has not. The new team is more or less the same old team. No doubt, he dropped General Secretary Sanjay Joshi who was facing the CD scandal was cleared later. Insiders say that this was not Rajnath's decision but the decision of the RSS. The replacement Ramlal is a senior pracharak loaned by the RSS to the BJP. The Sangh had its own way of dealing with its pracharaks and timed the exit of Joshi now. Ironically, while Rajnath Singh had been trying to save Joshi and retain him at least as a general Secretary instead of the all powerful organizing secretary, he has failed to achieve this. Insiders also say that it was Advani and Modi who wanted Sanjay Joshi out for different reasons.

Different interpretations are being given to the way Singh handled the reorganisation of office-bearers. Some say he has opened too many fronts by removing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi from the parliamentary board and divesting Arun Jaitley of his position as the party's spokesperson. It will not take much time for the Modi - Jaitley duo to team up to teach a lesson to Singh. Another interpretation for targeting the Modi- Jaitley duo is that, perhaps, he wants to reduce their importance in the party as they are his potential rivals. It is common knowledge that Modi is the Hindutva icon of the party and remains the undisputed leader in Gujarat. Jaitley is the most effective spokesperson who can influence the media with his convincing arguments and pleasing manners. Interestingly, Rajnath Singh could not go beyond what he did because Singh knows that he cannot wish them away. Many in the party feel that Singh may have overplayed his hand.

The other interesting aspect is that Singh has not been able to get a single man of his choice. These cosmetic changes and tinkering with his rivals are not going to get him kudos. He has given a chance to all the disgruntled elements who were hoping to get something to run to Advani who could become a rallying point. Singh has many challenges ahead. First of all he is yet to prove his mettle. Just singing to the tunes of the RSS is not going to get him cooperation from the party. He has to improve his relations with Advani, who continues to be a force to reckon with in the BJP. Secondly, he has to take his colleagues along with him to ensue smooth functioning of the party. Alienating them is going to boomerang. Thirdly, Singh has to be more communicative and learn a thing or two from his colleagues like Sushma Swaraj or Arun Jaitley. Fourthly, if he has any prime ministerial ambitions, he should improve his relations with the NDA allies so that when the time comes they would support him.

The immediate challenge for Singh is the coming Assembly elections in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Uttar Pradesh. Of these the UP polls are crucial as it is also Singh's home states and a one-time citadel of the BJP. If he could improve the position of the party, that will give him good ratings. This time Advani seems to have won round one. Singh should ensure that he rises above petty politics and behave like a national leader. There is no harm in taking everyone along. (IPA Service)

Indian racism is mystifying. If someone is Caucasian and fair, then our demeanour towards him is usually pleasant, even fawning. On the other hand, if someone is of African descent, or East Asian, or even a darker Indian, then our behaviour can be terrible.

How can a group of people that may suffer discrimination because of their skin colour perpetuate the same on others and even on themselves? I have often experienced this self-discrimination at my local market, when I find that I am waiting twice as long to be served as foreign customers.

Once, at my oft-frequented kebab shop, a group of 10 Americans arrived soon after I had placed my order and I had to wait for all of them to get their orders before I got my two kebabs!

Even in countries where Indians may have faced racism, they often inculcate the very same attitudes and turn them towards other communities.

The only time an East Asian friend of mine heard racist remarks in England was from a group of South Asians, who told him, "Go home to your country"! Even though anthropological theories of race were disproved by the 1950s, I have heard fully educated NRIs talk about how "black people have smaller brains".

The fact that a respected Indian public person can refer patronisingly to African countries as "our little black brothers" reflects how skewed our conceptions are.

I think a major reason for this is our Anglo-American focus. In a large part of the Indian public sphere, the world is the Indian subcontinent, plus England and America. There isn't much information about other parts of the world in our media.

Our educational system does not teach us enough about other societies and polities. Our university syllabi might have potential courses in Latin American and African history and politics, but very few colleges offer them and there are even fewer teachers to teach them.

Even though I live in Germany, which is also in Western Europe, I have seen another entirely different public discourse and been struck by our Anglo-American worldview.

If a country in Western Europe can be so different then imagine other parts of the world we grow up knowing so little about. A change in attitudes towards other races can only come with greater awareness of other cultures and societies. (By arrangement with The Times of India)

Sir,

I would like to thank The Shillong Times for the report, "A case of reward or punishment," (ST, Jan 31) which brought to light the plight of Pine Mount School. I was astonished to learn that the Vice-Principal was acting as the Principal-in-charge all this while.

I, as a parent and an ex-pupil, would like to make an appeal to the authorities concerned to kindly appoint a new Principal immediately, because we would not like our children's education to be compromised.

There are a number of efficient teachers among the faculty, who know the ins and outs of the School, hence the new Principal should be appointed from among them only.

Yours etc,
A concerned parent,
Shillong.
Via e-mail.

Sir,

An issue that has something to do with the glam-world not only attracts the attention of the media which overzealously looks for such stuff, but the government and the public as well show undue enthusiasm in this regard. Just think, a case as trivial as Shilpa Shetty's slur-issue could stir the Indian government into asking the British government for an explanation and apology. However, has the government paid due attention to the plight of the poor and unemployed masses who are even forced to commit suicide? One wishes that the misery of the underprivileged and destitute communities of the country also invite sympathetic attention of the government so that their two time meal is at least assured.

Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong-2.
Via e-mail

Sir,

The city is one red alert due to Kaveri issue. The citizens in the city are not feeling themselves safe as the violence are being expected. Million of rupees have been being spent on the security.

But did anyone try to think what will they after this fighting? We say that India is our country and all the states are the integral parts of the country. They all have the same status and a cooperation is needed among them. But they are fighting themselves only on water and other issues.

After all Tamil Nadu and Karnataka both are neighbours only. Sorry, not only neighbours but they are sisters also. Then why there is fight? Why the matter was taken into the court? Are not we Indians mature enough to solve our matters with talk peacefully? Such fights, violence, strikes and bandh are nothing but the waste of time and money. The amount which are being spend on this, can be used to purchase basic requirements for the poor and helpless in the country who and whose children are dying of hunger and starvation.

Water is for all. It can be shared as much it's required. On one hand we are dreaming to become develop country while on the other hand we are fighting like this. What does it mean? Are we really serious about the development and do we really care for our brothers and sisters or we just speak the language of constitution without understanding its meaning like parrot?

Yours etc,
Shailesh Kumar
via e-mail

The fate of 77 candidates, including two women, would be decided in 718 polling stations, 271 of which have been identified as 'hyper sensitive' and 443 'sensitive'. About 804 EVMs will be used in the first phase.

Chief Electoral Officer RR Rashmi said all the polling stations will be guarded by armed security personnel and the 'sensitive' and 'hyper sensitive' ones will be manned by two or more sections of armed personnel. A section comprises eight to ten security personnel.

A total of 599377 voters, 307052 of whom are women, will exercise their franchise. Wangkhem, Karong and Kangpokpi Assembly segments have the highest number of six candidates.

While, the Congress has fielded nominees in all the 19 seats, the Manipur People’s Party will fight it out in eight, NCP and RJD in five each, CPI in four, LJSP in three, Manipur State Congress Party and SP in two each and NNP and NPP one each.

Prominent among those whose fate will be decided on Thursday are Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh who will contest from Thoubal and Heirok and Speaker Md Maniruddin Shaik(Congress) who will try to retain Lilong. (UNI)

According to an EC release here on Wednesday, election to the Dimapur-I Assembly constituency had been necessitated following the death of Dr Hokishe Sema on January 31.

The notification for the election will be issued on February one, while the last date for filing nominations is February 19. The scrutiny of nominations will be made on February 20 and the last date for withdrawal of candidates is February 22.

The polls will be held on March 8 and the counting of votes will be taken up on March 12 and the date before which the election should be completed was fixed at March 15, the release added. (UNI)

Angry villagers attacked one Ranendra Narzary of Bashbari for converting into christianity after marrying a Bodo christian woman on Tuesdsay night forcing the couple to take shelter in the Bishmuri police outpost under Kokrajhar police station near National Highway (31-C). (PTI)

Imphal: They may not have the right to vote, but the issue of child rights has become a ticklish issue for political parties in Manipur on the eve of the first of the three-phased Assembly elections on Thursday.

The Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR), an influential rights group, has caught political parties on the wrong foot by making public a widely hailed charter of demands seeking better facilities and protection for children from politicians contesting elections to the 60-member legislature.

Among the sensitive issues raised by the group are a total ban on the use of educational institutions as military camps and a special package to address needs like post-traumatic stress disorders of children in a conflict zone.

"We want an assurance from all the political parties that they would address these very important issues if they come to power," MACR member S Sharaju said.

Manipur is home to about 19-odd rebel groups with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy. The other key demands highlighted by the group include increase of Government expenditure on children - a 10 per cent hike in education and five percent on child health.

The MACR has over the past few months been sensitising politicians to the need for considering child rights as a major issue.

"Now we have made these focus areas public so as to make politicians remember the priorities," another member said.

Parents and guardians welcomed the move and said politicians cannot afford to ignore the issues.

"If politicians fail to keep their promises then parents and guardians like us will not spare them again. It will be too much of a risk for politicians to ignore child rights as parents will teach them a lesson in coming elections," Taralata Devi, a college teacher and mother of two, told IANS.

The demand seeking a ban on educational institutions used as makeshift shelters for troops combating militancy has also been widely hailed.

"There are many schools in remote areas where the military set up camps for weeks together thereby hampering normal classes. We were forced to shut down our school for 23 days last year," Bimal Singh, a school headmaster in Manipur's Ukhrul district, said.

The first phase of elections are being held Feb 8 in 19 constituencies in three districts. In the second phase Feb 14, polling would take place in 29 constituencies, and the remaining 12 seats would go to the polls Feb 23. Counting of votes begins Feb 27. (IANS)