The dates for the Assembly polls in five States, including Chhattisgarh, besides enforcement of Model Code of Conduct would be announced only after a thorough review of the preparedness in these States had been completed, Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said on Friday.
“The review of poll preparedness in Madhya Pradesh is underway while in Chhattisgarh it had been been completed today (August 30). The Commission would undertake review preparedness in Rajasthan, Mizoram and Delhi before announcing the poll dates,” he said while addressing a crowded news conference here.
“The polls in all five States would be held simultaneously which would ease the task of announcing poll dates,” the Chief Election Commissioner said.
Sampath said, “The views of the political parties in Chhattisgarh regarding various poll related issues had been taken by the Commission during its meeting with representatives of political parties in Raipur.”
He added, “The political parties have assured full support to the Commission for the conduct of free and fair polls in Chhattisgarh. There were some grievances raised by the political parties regarding electoral rolls such as duplication of names in a list or deletion of names which would be looked into by the Commission besides the problem of 'poor lighting’ in some of the polling centres.”
Regarding the mandatory requirement of Photo ID cards by the voters during polls in Chhattisgarh, Sampath stated that the voters this time round would be handed over a 'voter slip’ by the Commission comprising the name of the voter and his picture printed on them two days before polling.
“If a voter has misplaced or lost his voter ID card, the 'voter slip’ can be used to cast the vote,” he observed.
“Even on the day of polling, a kiosk would be established near the polling booths where the voters can obtain their slip to cast their vote,” he remarked.
On the issue of intimidation of voters, the Chief Election Commissioner stated that the Commission will conduct a ‘Vulnerability Mapping Exercise’ in States going to polls this year to take special 'confidence building measures' in the identified areas among voters.
Regarding problem of 'paid news', Sampath said that the officials in the states going to polls have been imparted special directives to monitor 'paid news'.
"District level committees are being formed which would be chaired by the District Collector to monitor 'paid news' besides the Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) and other government representatives would also be keeping track of 'paid news'," he said.
On the total manpower strength available for conducting polls in Chhattisgarh, the Chief Election Commissioner opined that 1.10 lakh personnel would be required which Chhattisgarh had already got to conduct the polls.
Chhattisgarh has a total electorate strength of 1.67 crore as on August 24, 2013 in which 85 lakh are males and 82 lakh area females, Sampath said.
To a query on the total strength of the security forces to be deployed in Chhattisgarh including those in insurgency infested Bastar region, the Chief Election Commissioner said that there would be adequate strength of security forces deployed during polls including deployment of para military forces.
I-T to track poll expenditure
Raipur: The Election Commission this time round would be seeking help of the Income Tax department in Chhattisgarh to monitor poll campaign expenditure of the candidates, Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said on Friday.
He informed that the Director General (Expenditure Monitoring) would keep track of the poll expenditure made by the candidates, he said.
“We have given ‘very complex’ instructions to the political parties on poll expenditure which they need to follow. The Commission would also hold a workshop for the candidates to educate them on ‘poll expenditure management’ which would be conducted by district collectors after the candidates had filed their nominations,” he said.
EC scanner on social media space
Raipur: The Election Commission would keep sharp vigil on the poll related postings in the social media platform.
“We have sought help of the Secretary in the Ministry of Information Technology in New Delhi to help us monitor the Social Media activity related to polls,” Chief Election Commi-ssioner VS Sampath stated while replying to a query during the news conference in Raipur on Friday.