'Follow election panel guidelines without fail'

Additional Deputy Commissioner M Satish Kumar has directed the officials to follow the guidelines of Election Commission, without fail, for free and fair Gram Panchayat elections.

Speaking to nodal officers, tahsildars, DySPs and other officials in the presence of election observers at Old Fort premises on Saturday, he said the guidelines should be followed in providing ballot paper to postal voters, mustering, de-mustering, preparing strong room, following model code of conduct etc.

A free and fair poll is possible only when there is coordination between nodal officers, revenue and police officers. There should not be confusions and officials at every stage must follow the EC guidelines. If there are problems, it should be brought to the notice of higher officials, he said.

The officials should be careful about people who will use party symbols or posters of political leaders during campaign. Every official, who has been assigned to the election duty should receive phone call at anytime of the day.

Assistant Commissioner Dr Nanjundegowda directed the officials to provide basic facility at near every polling centre. DySP Rajshekhar said that 12 polling centres in Madikeri taluk, 15 in Somwarpet and 18 in Virajpet had been identified as sensitive. All steps have been taken to maintain law and order, he added.

District Nodal Officers Nafees Ahmed, M Tirumalesh, G S Basavaraju, Nagaraju, Padmashekhara Pande, Vijay Kumar, Tahsildars Kunjamma, Shivappa, Prasannamurthy and Taluk Panchayat Executive Officers were present. Election Observers Prakash G Nittali, ZP DS Vishwanath Poojary and Special Duty Officer Manohar were  also present.