Keeping in view the ongoing protests and violence in several parts of the national Capital, including Shaheen Bagh and Seelampur, against the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizen (NRC), the Delhi Police on Monday assured the Election Commission (EC) that protest sites are under watch to ensure that no obstructions for polling personnel or voters would hamper movement on the polling day on February 8.
At a review meeting on poll preparedness chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, Special Police Observer M K Das said he is personally monitoring the situation at ground level in sensitive areas. The observers also assured the poll panel that preparations are progressing as per schedule and gaining momentum.
Delhi CEO Ranvir Singh, Chief Secretary Vijay Dev, Delhi Police Commissioner, Director General of Police, senior officials and nodal officials of neighbouring States were present in the meeting. The poll panel is worried a lot over three firing incidents two at Jamia and one in Shaheen Bagh.
The EC has ordered DCP Chinmay Biswal of South East Delhi to be relieved from the present post in view of the current situation in Shaheen Bagh and Jamia Millia Islamia, where three firing incidents have taken place in four days.
The EC also reviewed necessary activities for poll preparedness with Central Observers so assigned for the forthcoming Elections. Special Expenditure Observer B Murali Kumar also assured the Commission that due care will be taken by field level teams to step up enforcement.
“General, Police and Expenditure Observers posted in each of the seventy Assembly Constituencies apprised the Commission of work done with respect to distribution of Photo voter slips, arrangements at Polling stations for Assured Minimum facilities, and management of PwD voters, availability of adequate number of wheel Chairs, Volunteers, EVM-VVPAT arrangements, night stay arrangements for polling personnel, grievance monitoring, Facilitation of Permissions to Political parties and candidates, Security forces deployment plans, confidence building measures with local communities, seizures made by Flying Squads, inspection of candidates’ accounts, publicity of criminal antecedents of candidates, cVigil and Paid news complaints, expenditure and law and order sensitive pocket arrangements and Counting Day arrangements,” the EC said in a statement.
The EC further emphasised that the directions of Supreme Court Orders on publicity of criminal antecedents and the consequential guidelines of the Commission have to be fully complied with in print as well as electronic media and notices issued to erring candidates.
“The Commission inter-alia laid emphasis on the need to take strict action against intimidators and violators of law; enforcement of preventive action be taken promptly to ensure smooth movement near all Polling stations, maintain peace and ensure free fair polls on 8th February 2020; adequate night stay arrangements for polling staff on duty and due vigilance by expenditure observers needs to be stepped up and stringent action be taken so that electoral atmosphere is not vitiated,” it said.