Strict action against erring officials: CEC Rawat

Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat on Saturday said that strict actions will be taken against the administrative officials who indulge in supporting the political candidates either from the ruling party or the Opposition.

On bureaucrats entering political parties, Rawat said his team is monitoring all the developments and has instructed the state government that such a message among the public has to be removed from their minds, to ensure a peaceful, fair and credible election in the state.

Rawat was speaking to reporters here at the end of his two-day visit to Chattisgarh.

For the first time, the EC will also appoint Accessibility Observer to ensure that differently-abled voters are provided with all facilities to cast their vote without any hindrance and the state will also witness one polling centre fully operated by women, Rawat said.

In Maoist-affected areas, the state government has been directed to provide facilities like free treatment for polling parties and air-ambulance service in case of any eventuality. The administration would also ensure that all the polling parties accompany the EVM, even in areas where EVMs are taken by helicopter.

In areas affected by elephant menace, forest department would coordinate so that polling parties reach and return safely.

cVIGIL election App, which was implemented on pilot basis in Bengaluru during the Karnataka Assembly election, will be made operational in Chhattisgarh. The citizens can report the violation of model code of conduct through photographs or videos. The feedback on the action taken will be given to the complainant. If the case is made against any high profile person then, the complainant can hide his identity and mobile number. In such cases the complainant won’t get a feedback instead will get to know the action taken through media outlets, Rawat said.

Chhattisgarh has 90 seats out of which 51 are general, 10 are reserved for Scheduled Caste and 29 are for Scheduled Tribe. Till July 31, the total electors is 181 lakh out of which 91.46 lakh are men, 90.32 are women while 831 are the third gender.

He said few political parties demanded linking of voter ID with Aadhaar number and as per the demand of political parties the adding of names has been extended to further seven days.