A full delegation of the Election Commission of India (ECI), including Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat, is visiting the Madhya Pradesh Capital to look into poll preparedness in the election-bound State.
While talking to media persons here on Monday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Vl Kanta Rao said, “Rawat would be accompanied by Election Commissioners Sunil Arora and Ashok lawasa besides seven other senior officials. They would be in Bhopal for three days and would interact with all the stakeholders in the election.”
The delegation, which is arriving here tonight, would meet representatives of all recognised political parties from 9.30 to 11.30 am on Tuesday. "A meeting with nodal officers of various agencies involved in law and order has been scheduled from 12 noon to 1.30 pm," he said.
Subsequently, the delegation would meet Divisional Commissioners, Inspectors General of Police, Collectors and Superintends of Police from afternoon till night. The meeting with administrative and police authorities would continue on Wednesday from 10 am to 1.30 pm.
A meeting with nodal officers of various agencies involved in expenditure and monitoring has been scheduled from 3 pm to 4 pm. The delegation would meet the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police from 4 pm to 5 pm. Subsequently, an interaction with media has been organised at 5.30 pm. The ECI delegation would leave for New Delhi at 10 pm on Wednesday.
Responding to a query, he said that the ECI has seized 1,004 illegal hooters, sirens, banners and posters from several vehicles and collected a fine of Rs 9,67,000 from them. Of them, most cases pertain to Morena (195) followed by Sidhi (176).
In response to another query, Rao said that the Commission has set a target to increase polling percentage from 72.6 per cent in 2013 assembly elections to 80 per cent in 2018.