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Saturday, October 3, 2009

Side effects of elections

Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2009

ITANAGAR, Oct 3: With the D-day approaching, most of the working people and college students are heading for their respective villages and towns to be part of the electoral process. Most of them have gone to cast votes, some to be poll agents and a few on election duties. This has adversely affected the sale of essential commodities. Although prices did shoot up during the Durga Puja, yet the volume of sale dipped by almost 30 per cent in the capital complex.

Ideally, sale of liquor should have also dropped along with essential commodities, but that is not the case. In some liquor outlets, the volume is static, and in some others, volume has marginally increased by five per cent. No wonder that at late night and in the wee hours, one gets to notice many drunk, if not tipsy, young lads on the streets in full gusto.

In this election process, educational institutions are the most adversely affected of all. Attendance percentage has dipped to an all-time low. Students have moved out to campaign for their respective candidates, while faculty members have been deputed on official duties. A few academically oriented students are left behind in the college campus to fend for themselves.

Ideally, users of public transport service called ‘trekkers’ which ply between the twin cities of Itanagar and Naharlagun should have dropped with less office-goers. But such is the grip of election fever that both old and young ones, who never ventured out of home, are actively moving around, thus causing many a transport hassle.

PASIGHAT: Apparently the model code of conduct seems to have no meaning in this part of the world. There is a blanket ban on use of plastics for posters, hoardings, flags etc during electioneering or otherwise across the country. But on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Pasighat in East Siang district, there were posters, huge hoardings, flags etc made of plastic on display on either side of the road leading to the rally site. Even the caps adorned by party workers and volunteers were made of plastic. It seems the administration as well as the party leaders are unaware of any code of conduct. THE SENTINEL

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