CEC’s key focus on fair polls reviewed
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 12: A team of senior officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) visited Jammu and Kashmir for two days to review preparedness for the Assembly elections.
They visited Ramban and Anantnag districts and reviewed election preparedness with civil and police administration.
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The ECI officials reviewed and stressed on critical issues highlighted by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar earlier during a review with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, DGP RR Swain and heads of paramilitary forces for fair and transparent elections process. They directed the administration to ensure that preventive actions would be free of any bias and only individuals with a proven history of anti-social or criminal behavior would be targeted.
The CEC’s key focus was on ensuring fairness and transparency in the electoral process which is seen as a major reason for large voter turnout during the Lok Sabha elections held in April-May this year.
Building on solid foundation of Lok Sabha elections, CEC Kumar had committed that democracy in the UT will be further deepened layer by layer in the Assembly elections with focus on more voter and candidates’ participation, campaigning and election festivities.
“The administration would avoid undue arrests around polling days. Only individuals with legitimate antisocial or criminal backgrounds would be detained, ensuring that the process remains fair and transparent”, the ECI officials said, adding that this move is aimed at eliminating previous concerns of selective or politically motivated actions.
The ECI officials also asserted that no last-minute restrictions would be imposed on the number of participants allowed in rallies or meetings, and instructed that the administration would grant permissions for political gatherings with due diligence and without any bias or without any undue interference.
The officials were informed that security has to be provided equally to all candidates, without any discrimination or restriction on movement. This will ensure a level playing field for all parties, and will prevent exposing any candidate to heightened vulnerability.
The ECI team also reiterated that the practice of last-minute changes or clubbing of polling stations-often justified on security grounds has been prohibited and the voters need to be assured that polling station locations would not be altered at the eleventh hour, to avoid any last minute confusion amongst voters about their polling stations.
Reiterating the Commission’s commitment to establish a solid foundation for Assembly elections, the ECI officials took stock of the J&K Election Department’s efforts towards enhancing participation of voters and candidate, campaigning and election festivities.
The ECI team reinforced the other directions of the Commission given from time to time in the past.
Concluding their visit on Thursday, the ECI team expressed satisfaction with the preparedness for the upcoming elections and exhorted the officers to continue their efforts to ensure a historic voter turnout in the polls.
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