Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Sept 17: General Observer Sunil Kumar Yadav and Police Observer Rohit Malpani today assessed election preparations and security arrangements for Assembly elections in 65-Basohli constituency at a meeting with sector and zonal magistrates in presence of Returning Officer, Anil Kumar Thakur (ADC), ARO Sagar Vishwakarma, SDPO Suresh Sharma.
The General Observer provided detailed information on the election process and responsibilities of designated sector and zonal magistrates. He instructed the officers to visit their respective areas to assess the situation and inspect polling stations to ensure the provision of basic minimum facilities. He emphasized the importance of conducting transparent, fair and peaceful elections, and urged the officers to perform their duties diligently.
The officers were asked to get thoroughly familiar with the assembly and disassembly of VVPAT and EVM machines, as this is a critical aspect of the election process. He discussed potential issues that may arise for presiding officers and provided solutions to address them.
Furthermore, he gave instructions regarding violation of the Model Code of Conduct, urging officers to take prompt legal action, including filing FIRs, in cases of violations. The Observer also briefed the officers on the rights of candidates visiting polling stations during voting and clarified that no polling agent is allowed to carry a mobile phone into the polling booth.
Police Observer Rohit Malpani instructed the sector police officers to ensure that the police team accompanies the polling party from the distribution of election materials to the day of voting and the return of EVMs to the strong room. He emphasized that every police party must have the contact details of the sector officer, SDPO, and the police control room to facilitate immediate communication in case of emergencies. He also directed the SDPO to keep a reserve police force on standby for deployment in case of urgent situations.
Before the meeting, the two observers inspected the VST and VVT control room established at DIET and received a detailed briefing from the Returning Officer. Later, they visited the strong room at Model Higher Secondary School, Basohli, to review the security arrangements and issued necessary instructions.
Later, the Observers visited Government Degree College Basohli, where they interacted with master trainers and polling party officials undergoing training, addressing their concerns and clarifying doubts. They also instructed the master trainers to ensure proper training for the polling staff.
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