By- Banibrata Datta, FTFMI
The Election Commission o f India, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, arrived in Agartala on Wednesday on a two day visit to review the poll preparedness for the forthcoming Assembly Elections 2023 in Tripura.
The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday stressed the need for inducement-free assembly elections in Tripura, and asked the central and state agencies to take appropriate steps in this regard, officials said.
The full Election Commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, accompanied by two Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, and several senior officials, arrived here on Wednesday afternoon to review the preparations of the forthcoming assembly polls in Tripura.
The Election Commission inaugurated the mascot and logo as part of the SVEEP activities for the upcoming assembly elections while reviewing the poll preparedness. The logo and mascot will be used for election campaigns and awareness activities in the state.
An official of the Tripura Election Department said that the Commission reviewed the preparation with the Nodal Officers of various Central and State Enforcement Agencies to ensure inducement-free elections in the state.
Immediately after its arrival, the poll panel met the leaders of the political parties at the state guest house and then met the state and district-level officials including the District Magistrates and the Superintendent of police of eight districts.
Ruling BJP, opposition CPI-M, Congress, Trinamool Congress and other parties have urged the EC to hold the assembly polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner.
Tripura Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao and State Police Nodal Officer G.S. Rao gave a detailed presentation to the Commission regarding poll preparedness and security arrangements for Assembly elections, expected to be held later next month.
The Commission would also review the preparations with Chief Secretary J. K. Sinha, Director General of Police Amitabh Ranjan and all the Secretaries of the Tripura government on Thursday. An SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) programme would be organised by the CEO at Ujjayanta Palace premises in Agartala on Thursday where electors’ photo identity cards would be distributed to the newly registered voters by the Commission.
Before leaving the state on Thursday for poll-bound Meghalaya, the CEC and the ECs would brief the media on Thursday.
From Meghalaya, the full EC would go to another poll-bound state Nagaland on January 13 and would return to Delhi on January 15.
After returning to Delhi, the Election Commission would likely announce the schedule of the election in three northeastern states, considering the Class 10 and 12 examinations of the Central Board of Secondary Education.
The full Election Commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, accompanied by two Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, and several senior officials, arrived here on Wednesday afternoon to review the preparations of the forthcoming assembly polls in Tripura.
The officers who were removed from election duty for any lapses in the earlier election should not be appointed in any election duty again. Central para-military forces should be used in the entire election process up to the Counting and post-election period.
Deployment of CPMF may be made well in advance before the poll date. They should conduct patrolling for area domination. The strength of deployment should be decided on the basis of vulnerability of the area.
One Police observer for each District may be appointed from among the senior police officers who will be assigned deployment of the CPMF in the concerned District.
Besides, the party also drew the attention of the ECI on other matters:
CAMPAIGN
All the Advertisements, both print and electronic media, must have marking of MCMC approval so that unapproved items or edited items after certification may not be published. Any Advertisements of any party approved by the MCMC must be apprised to all the political parties before publication.
No Advertisements should be published 48 hours before the commencement of the poll.
All the candidates and Election Agents must be provided with adequate security coverage.
Preventing Bribery: Instead of bribing voters in a conventional way, now a days bribing is taking place by online method. The party having abundant cash, collect bank Account numbers of the targeted electors and transfer money online. ECI should explore an effective method to stop this.
The borders must be completely sealed in the entire election period.
A single window system must be set up to accord permission to the contesting parties for holding rallies, processions, demonstration etc. on first come first serve basis.
Bike-ridden organized gangs of the ruling parties are a big concern for free and fair elections. Their movements in groups must be stopped during entire campaign period.
All outsiders of concerned Assembly constituencies or even from other states must be flushed out of the government Bungalows, private hotels and guest houses immediately after the end of the campaign.
POLLING DAY
Good number of Micro Observers are found to be inadequate knowledge about election conduct rules. Before poll, they must be imparted training and thoroughly apprised of the election rules.
All the lanes and paths heading towards the Polling Booth must be under security cover so that no elector could be prevented from reaching polling station.
Before giving entrance to the premises of polling station, an officer may be deputed to check up identity of voters with the appearance of the elector with image of the EPIC.
Inside and outside of all the polling booths must be covered with webcasting. Vigilance should be there to oversee against disruption of operation of the webcasting cameras.
A strict watch should be kept so that no unauthorized person particularly the ruling party individual should have access to the operation of webcasting videography of the polling station.
The polling agents of the opposition party candidates must be provided security for attending the booth, staying inside the booth and during his return after the end of poll.
The entrance of the polling booths must be manned by CPMF jawans. They should allow entrance of any elector only after matching his appearance with that of the EPIC.
No crowding should be allowed in front of the polling booths.
In the polling booths, queues must be maintained only by the CPMF. To prevent booth jamming, no individual voter should be allowed to interfere with the voters queue.
COUNTING
Three-lair security must be set up to guard the Strong room where EVMs are stored. Political party representatives should be allowed to keep watch over the strong rooms round the clock.
All the Counting halls should be under the scanner of the web Camera.
Any elector having EPIC of the state should be allowed to be appointed as a Counting Agent in any of the counting halls.
They should be issued separate identity Cards by the ROs.
Source: Vande Mataram Newspaper
