District Collector Ratnakar Rout has directed all the officials of the district administration not to take leave or remain absent from duty place on holidays without his prior permission. He warned them to take stringent action if they did not oblige under the Representation of People’s Act and Orissa Civil Service (C&A) Rules.
Sources said the step was taken keeping in mind the simultaneous general elections. The district administration badly needs cooperation of the officials and employees to conduct the coming polls in a free and fair manner.
About 11,200 polling personnel are going to be engaged in the poll exercise which is going to be held on April 17 in the district.
The notification for General Elections to lok Sabha and State Assembly will be issued on March 19 whereas the last date for filling of nominations will be March 26. On March 27, scrutiny of nomination will take place whereas the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be on March 29. On April 17, the polls will be held for all the seven Assembly segments and the lok Sabha constituency. On May 16, counting will be organized, said sources.
According to the district Collector, as many as 1,407 booths have been made. In Patkura Assembly segment, the number of total polling stations is 307, whereas in Kendrapara Assembly segment, which is reserved for SC, the total number of polling stations is 241.
Similarly, 315 polling stations are in Aul Assembly segment, 276 in Rajnagar and 268 booths have been made in Mahakalapada Assembly segment. The total voters of Kendrapara in five Assembly constituencies have been identified as 10, 87,337. While the number of male voters is 5, 80, 612, the female voters are 5, 06,718 and others 7.
Similarly, in Salepur Assembly constituency and Mahanga Assembly segment that come under Kendrapara lok Sabha, the numbers of polling stations are 244 and 285 respectively, whereas the total voters in the two constituencies are 2,14,085 and 2,39,283 respectively.
This time the Election Commissioner of India has directed the district administration to constitute Election Expenditure Monitoring Committee in the district to decide the expenditure of the candidates of political parties for organising rally, meeting and star campaigners.
Close circuit videography is going to be made from the starting of electoral process to the completion of the elections. Even, video viewing team comprising of an officer and two clerks, are going to be engaged to look into the violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The video CDs captured by video surveillance team shall be viewed by the Video Viewing Team daily for identifying expenditure related issues and MCC related issues.