'Take permission before holding public meetings'

 Deputy Commissioner B S Shekharappa has directed all the district and taluk level officials and election staff to take measures to conduct a free and transparent Lok Sabha election, on April 17.

He was chairing a preparatory meeting of the officials to make arrangements for the parliament election scheduled for next month, at the deputy commissioner’s office on Saturday.

He directed the election officers to appoint the members for media certification and monitoring committee, flying squad, check posts, election expense observers, observers for model code of conduct, before March 15.

“As the election code of conduct is in force, banners and buntings belonging to political parties in public places should be removed. A strict direction has to be given to gram panchayats in this regard. Permission has to be taken from the election officer before organising any political meetings and programmes. Training has to be imparted to booth level officers,” he said.

Pointing at the lack of phone connectivity in some areas of Malnad region, the deputy commissioner instructed the BSNL officials to take steps to sort out technical glitches and ensure that network is available. A toll free number will be opened in taluk level to provide information to general public, as and when required.
Further he said, “control rooms should be opened to prevent sale and supply of illicit liquor. Information related to the quantity of liquor supplied to every shop and the quantity of liquor sold, has to be collected.”

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer P B Karunakar said that a special election awareness campaign will be organised in all polling booths on March 9. Opportunity is given to the people to check their names in the voters list and officials should co-operate with people seeking information, he suggested.

“Application forms to include names in the voters list should be made available to public in the polling booth. Booth level officers should be present in the booth. People, whose names have been left out of the voters list, will be given a chance to vote, if they fill the application form on the spot. March 16 is the last date for including names to the voters list,” he said.