New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday asked the five poll-bound states to come up with an action plan with specific datelines for conduct of assembly elections slated later this year as it reviewed their preparations.
The states of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram are due for elections by the end of the year as the tenure of their state assemblies are ending.
The review of poll preparedness in election-bound states was done today at a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and attended by both Election Commissioners H S Brahma and S N A Zaidi.
As Chief Electoral Officers of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram made their respective presentations covering various aspects of election management in their states, the Commission asked them to prepare election management plans of their respective states while fixing specific datelines.
During the review meeting, the revision of electoral rolls, requirement of EVMs and other election material, besides the deployment of polling staff and security arrangements were discussed.
A step to monitor the election expenditure by making use of money power was also discussed in detail. Besides, the measures taken to increase voter participation through Systematic Voters` Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) were also discussed.
The CEOs were told to make specific timelines for putting in place all arrangements ahead of the polls.
The law and order situation in the election-bound states was also discussed and past experiences shared while dealing with security issues, especially in tribal and naxal affected areas.
The Commission has also taken an initiative to ensure that all polling staff deployed should get an opportunity to exercise their right to vote and sought arrangements in this regard.
While discussing the summary revision of electoral rolls, the Commission also asked the five states to ensure that the finality of electoral rolls should be clean by weeding out ineligible or wrong voters and including all eligible voters.
The social summary revision in states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh has already been carried out and that in Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram is underway at present.
PTI
