CEC in state to review election readiness

Chief Election Commissioner of India (CEC) O P Rawat along with his team is on a three-day visit to Bengaluru to review preparedness for the May 12 Assembly polls.

On Wednesday, Rawat along with Election Commissioners Sunil Arora and Ashok Lavasa released publicity materials of voters' awareness and later held meeting with state chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar.

During his visit, Rawat along with his team of officials will meet representatives of all political parties, senior officials from Excise, Commercial Taxes, Transport and Police departments.

The CEC will also hold review meetings with chief secretary, additional chief secretaries of various departments and also with district election officers.

Meanwhile, the JD(S) submitted a memorandum to the CEC, requesting for setting up of a single window system to dispose of applications and complaints filed by political parties. Sanjiv Kumar had appointed 10 state nodal officers for speedy disposal of applications filed by the political parties.

In the memorandum, the JD(S) has questioned the extension of services of chief secretary K Ratna Prabha. The party said the services of Rathna Prabha ended on March 31. However, despite model code of conduct in force, the state government extended her services for three months. "The extension of the service of the chief secretary is against the provision of law and also against the model code of conduct,'' the memorandum said.