Expedite voter awareness campaign, make all preparations for voting: Chief Election Commissioner Shri Kumar

Election Commission of India reviews election preparedness with General, Police and Expenditure Observers through VC

Chief Election Commissioner, Shri Rajeev Kumar today held a review meeting through VC with the General, Police and Expenditure Observers appointed for the Lok Sabha Elections-2024 from Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi. Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were also present in the meeting.

In the meeting, Chief Election Commissioner Shri Kumar obtained feedback by directly discussing with the central observers appointed to conduct smooth elections in various states and union territories. Shri Kumar asked the observers to speed up the voter awareness campaign to increase the voting percentage in their respective parliamentary constituencies. The effort should be that on the day of voting, voters must come out of their homes and vote. No eligible citizen should be deprived of voting.

Shri Kumar said that all the observers should get all the preparations completed under their supervision for smooth voting. There can be severe heat at the time of voting, hence shade, cold water, medicines, ORS packets etc. must be available in all the polling stations. Voters should not face any kind of inconvenience when coming to the polling station to vote.

Instructions given to central observers

Make advance preparations for voting in all constituencies and ensure equal opportunities for all candidates and political parties. Stay alert and vigilant during the entire election process by remaining physically available within the parliamentary constituency. Make wide publication of mobile/landline/email/residence details and movement among candidates and political parties, making them available to the general public/candidates and political parties on the given numbers/addresses on a daily basis.

Randomization and deployment of forces, arrangements for postal ballot for the Divyang

The Chief Election Commissioner has directed to ensure that Central forces/State Police forces are used judiciously and neutrality is maintained. Get randomization of EVMs/VVPAT and polling personnel done in your presence. The process of home voting and postal ballot for persons above 85 years of age and persons with disabilities should be completed smoothly. It should also be ensured that voter lists are supplied to political parties and contesting candidates.

Deployment of micro supervisors

Ensure the commissioning of EVMs/VVPAT in front of all the candidates/their representatives. Monitor strong security arrangements in the EVM strong rooms and ensure presence of authorised agents of all the candidates.

Grievance redressal mechanism should be provided in the parliamentary constituency

It was informed in the VC that integrated control rooms have been set up in the districts under the overall charge of the authorised officer to take timely corrective action. Ensure that cent percent voter information slips are distributed before polling day. All IT applications like C-VIGIL, Voter Helpline App, Saksham App, ENCORE, Suvidha App etc. are being used by the election staff. Ensure that training of all polling personnel including counting personnel, micro observers is being conducted in a systematic manner. Visit the polling stations in the constituency and ensure that all facilities are in place at all the polling stations.

Other instructions

For the convenience of voters, voter assistance booths have been established at all polling stations and special facilities should be available for the Divyang, physically challenged, women, elderly and voters affected by leprosy. Make proper arrangements for drinking water, shed/tent facilities and seating for the voters waiting in the queue outside the polling stations during polling.

Flying squads, statistical surveillance teams, video checking teams, border check posts, nakas etc. are working round the clock and efforts are being made to prevent movement and distribution of cash, liquor, free items, drugs/narcotics. Proper work should be done by media certification and monitoring committees for pre-certification of political advertising and paid news.

Immediately curb fake news/misinformation

Chief Election Commissioner Shri Kumar, during the discussion with the Central Observers, obtained information from Shri Pranjal Yadav, General Observer of Lok Sabha Parliamentary Constituency No. 13 Jabalpur of Madhya Pradesh. The General Observer gave sequential information to the Commission about the preparations for voting in Jabalpur parliamentary constituency. He said that voter awareness activities are being conducted effectively. The importance of their vote is being explained to the voters in interesting ways.

Chief Electoral Officer Shri Rajan and Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) and State Police Nodal Officer Shri Anshuman Singh participated in the meeting of the Commission through VC.