Election officers should be aware of information technology (IT) to conduct of Vidhan Sabha elections smoothly to be held in Madhya Pradesh. Collectors and returning officers should know which software is being used in electoral process. This was stated by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Vl Kanta Rao at the inaugural session of two-day training by ECI experts to NIC officers for Vidhan Sabha elections at RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration here on Monday.
Chief Electoral Officer Jaideep Govind also attended the afternoon session. He also advised the officers to discharge their duty effectively after imbibing training. IT experts of Election Commission of India are imparting the 2-day training to officers of National Informatics Centre (NIC). Two NIC officers from every district are participating in the training programme to be held till October 15.
Kanta Rao said that election staff must know technical details of the software to be used right from nomination process upto counting of votes. All subjects regarding conduct of elections have been incorporated in the software developed by NIC. Recently, model code of conduct has also been included in it. Services of 6 programmers of are also being availed in Chief Electoral Office for this. He asked NIC officers to suggest if they wish any changes in the software.
Rao asked NIC officers to visit districts and given detailed training-related information to collectors. He informed that collectors have also been asked not to leave everything to NIC officers, but should become himself technically equipped.
They should check their e-mail from time to time and remain informed about directives of Election Commission and Chief Electoral Office. He said that officers should always remain vigilant in this work. ECI’s Project Manager Abhishek Sharma described IT’s role as important in transparent and fair elections. He informed that NOTA (None of the Above) option has been included in the software to be used in the electoral process.
AK Saxena of State Informatics Centre informed that NIC is cooperating with Election Commission of India in conducting elections since year 1997. NIC staff will be deployed in new district Agar-Malwa also apart from other districts. During training, detailed information was given to officers regarding electoral rolls’ management, public grievance redressal, monitoring of nomination process, EVM tracking, election expenses monitoring, web-casting, monitoring of SMS to be sent on polling day etc.
At the outset, Rao inaugurated the training by lighting a lamp. Assistant Chief Electoral Officer RN Singh welcomed the guests and Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Bharti Ogre conducted the proceedings.