JOIN USEC to review J&K poll preparedness
With elections for the 16th Lok Sabha just a few months away, Election Commission of India is sending its team to Jammu and Kashmir to review the arrangements for the polls. The elections are scheduled to be held in April-May 2014.
Sources told Deccan Herald the team led by ECI deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi will visit Jammu on December 18 to review the preparedness of the chief electoral officer of Jammu and Kashmir and all the 22 district election officers.
The Chief Electoral Officer of J&K Umang Narula in a communiqué has asked all the election officers to be present in the meeting.
“Non-participation of any of the officer in the meeting will be viewed seriously and may invite stern action. Moreover, no officers can send his representative in the meeting but has to make his presence sure,” sources said.
They added that a 35-point agenda has been furnished to all the officers on which Zutshi will seek information to ascertain the level of preparedness for the Parliament elections.
“In the meeting the officers will apprise the Deputy Election Commissioner of India about communication, transport and security plans of their respective districts. They will also explain in details the arrangements for observers and number of sensitive and hypersensitive polling stations in the areas of their respective jurisdiction,” sources revealed.
A senior state officer who will be part of the meeting said the visiting ECI team is expected to seek information regarding availability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), number of EVMs inspected by the district electoral officers, number of EVMs serviced and number of EVMs required keeping in view the strength of the electorates in each district.“The visiting team will also ascertain as to how many polling stations across Jammu and Kashmir were yet to be put on the Google map and what steps have been taken for rationalisation of the polling stations,” he said.
The officer said deputy election commissioner will also review the performance of Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls with reference to January 1, 2014 as qualifying date.The Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls is conducted in order to make addition of fresh eligible voters, delete wrong entries and settle claims and objections so as to ensure error free electoral rolls.