Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Home Affairs has assured that residents evacuated in the wake of the Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki eruption can cast their vote in the Regional Head Elections, which will be held on November 27, 2024.
"We have instructed the population and civil registration offices to make it easier for the evacuees. A piece of information card or identity card is enough for them to be able to vote," Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya Sugiarto, said here on Thursday.
He informed that at least 13 thousand people residing at the location of the eruption have the right to vote. Those residents are registered at 29 polling stations.
To ensure the evacuees can vote, the ministry is continuing to make efforts and coordinate with the relevant parties.
Baca juga: Mt Lewotobi eruption: Govt sends aid to affected residents
"I will visit the area on Sunday (November 24) to ensure the evacuees' rights can be fulfilled," he affirmed.
Sugiarto stressed that all residents who have evacuated, either independently or to locations provided by the government, can vote in the regional head election.
In addition, he said, his ministry will check the preparations for voting, starting from the polling stations to logistics and voting organizer groups at the evacuation locations to ensure their readiness.
Baca juga: Govt to ready 2,700 homes for Mt. Lewotobi victims
Earlier, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said that the victims of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, have gradually left the integrated evacuation centers.
"They evacuated to better places, such as their relatives' homes," BNPB head Suharyanto said at a press conference here on Wednesday.
Based on BNPB data, as of Tuesday, the number of evacuees had declined to 12,673 from 12,761. They were spread over seven evacuation centers set up by the BNPB and the Ministry of Social Affairs.