A training programme for income tax and customs officers will be held on Thursday imparting knowledge on how to maintain vigil over elections expenses during ensuing Vidhan Sabha elections in the State.
Director General of Election Commission of India PK Das will inaugurate the training at Academy of Administration at 10 am.
During the daylong session, training will be imparted to 50 officers each from Central income tax and customs departments. Chief Electoral Officers Jaideep Govind and Director VV Garg will also be present during training programme.
Under the aegis of Academy of Administration, state master trainers trained by India Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIDEM) will impart training to officers. During training, the trainee officers will also monitor and inspect records of election expenses made by candidates during elections. These officers will work under election expenses supervisors appointed by the Election Commission and District Election Officer and seek guidance from them. During elections, services of these officers will be availed for these works only.
It is noteworthy that training was imparted to about 600 officers including all district collectors, ROs and AROs for Vidhan Sabha election preparedness in June. On commission’s directive, this process is continuing continuously. Training will also be imparted in July and September to police, production tax, income tax and other officers to be deployed in elections.
Meanwhile, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jaideep Govind on Tuesday gave instructions for the first stage testing of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
All the EVM testing related work has been started in the Benazir college ground. District Election Officer and Collector Nishant Varvade asked the officials to properly follow all necessary steps in testing procedures.
Representatives of different political parties, ADMs Basant Kurre, BS Jamod, deputy district election officer AS Pawar and SDM City GS Dhurve were present on the occasion.
During the first stage of testing, it was ensured that in the control unit, pink paper were used and duly sealed and the detailed reports has been prepared in the prescribed formats. The expert engineers started pasting the stickers in every unit. In the initial stage of testing, instructions were given and asked the officials to follow them strictly.
In the initial stage of testing, mock polls were conducted in 5 per cent of the EVMs and the prints verified by the political parties’ representatives. later, the details were filled in the prescribed format. The procedure of first stage of testing of EVM is expected to get over till July 22.