New Delhi:
Senior
Election Commission of India officials held a meeting with poll panel officials
of the city to review poll preparedness for the upcoming Delhi Assembly
elections.
The meeting on Monday was attended by a team of Election
Commission of India led by Sandeep Saxena, senior deputy Election Commissioner,
Director Generals of Expenditure and Media, Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi,
Delhi Police officials, civic bodies and other key departments.
The review meeting was aimed at sensitising officers to work
for proper planning and proactive action to conduct free and fair, inclusive
and accessible elections of Delhi Assembly, a statement from the Delhi poll
body said.
In the meeting, the district election officers (DEOs) were
directed to ensure error-free electoral rolls by disposing off all pending
forms, removing all logical errors and demographically similar entries
(DSE)/Repeat entries removing the dead and permanently shifted electors.
This process has to be completed before publication of draft
roll on November 15.
Saxena also asked DEOs to appeal to all eligible citizens to
get themselves enrolled with qualifying date January 1, 2020 during the special
summary revision-2020 for which draft roll will be published on November 15.
He said the final roll would be published on January 6, 2020
and all necessary preparatory steps to be taken to conduct the elections before
the expiry of the term of the current legislative assembly on February 22, 2020.
“Vulnerability mapping has to be done to identify
anti-social elements and intimidators and there should be a plan to mitigate
intimidation and undue influence to vulnerable voters,” the statement said.
Expenditure Sensitive Pockets should be identified and
preparations be made to monitor expenditure by political parties and candidates
and to check movement of cash, liquor and other goods for use as
freebies/inducement for voters during election, it added.
As per latest notification of ECI, senior citizens (above 80
years) electors and People with Disability (PwD) can exercise the option to
cast their vote through Postal Ballots, if they so desire.
Accordingly, these electors shall be verified and flagged in
the electoral roll so that postal ballots are issued to them during elections,
the statement said. Marking of PwD
voters shall be ensured so that all such voters are flagged in the electoral
roll, it said.
All polling stations shall be physically verified to ensure
provisions of assured minimum facilities such as ramps, toilets, signages,
proper furniture, proper lightings, drinking water, etc, the statement said.
Saxena stressed on providing a comfortable and happy voting
experience. “Values of gender equality and PwD empowerment should be
exhibited through all-women polling boths and all-PwD polling booths,” it
said.
All election-related cases registered during last Lok Sabha
and previous Assembly Elections should be vigorously pursued and brought to
logical conclusion, it said.
The First Level Check (FLC) of EVM/VVPAT should be quickly
completed with due participation of all political parties, the statement said.
(PTI)