Gujarat Assembly polls: Election Commission team visits the state to review election preparedness

`All thematic issues like electoral roll, SSR, EVM, VVPAT, law and order, training facilities, and polling stations were discussed to ensure smooth conduct of the forthcoming elections. Detailed discussions were also held with nodal officers, and representatives of various enforcement agencies,` said an Election Commission release.

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) deputed a team of officers in Ahmedabad from September 16-18 to take stock of election preparedness in the state ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, according to an ECI communique. The ECI and Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi held the review meeting with district election officers, Police superintendents and Police commissioners regarding election preparedness. 

"The team comprised Hridesh Kumar, Nitesh Vyas, Dharmendra Sharma, NN Butolia, Yashvendra Singh, Deepali Masirkar, S B Joshi, Shubhra Saxena, Anuj Chandak," the release said, adding "All thematic issues like electoral roll, SSR, EVM, VVPAT, law and order, training facilities, and polling stations were discussed to ensure smooth conduct of the forthcoming elections. Detailed discussions were also held with nodal officers, and representatives of various enforcement agencies." 

It further stated that "A meeting was also held with secretaries from various state government departments including home, school, education, power, telecommunications, road and transport, health and family welfare, excise and revenue," adding "....a meeting was also held with Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, to discuss various issues in the forthcoming elections and feedback received from CEO, State Nodal Officer, DEOs, SPs and enforcement agencies for smooth conduct of forthcoming elections in the state."

AAP appoints Raghav Chadha as Co incharge for Gujarat polls

Ahead of the upcoming Gujarat polls, Aam Aadmi Party appointed Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha the co-in charge (Sah-Prabhari) for elections. Chadha had previously played an important role in enabling AAP to register its victory in Punjab and Delhi.

After the announcement of his appointment, Raghav Chadha tweeted, "I thank @ArvindKejriwal ji for entrusting me with this big responsibility. I will put in my blood, sweat, tears and toil to meet the expectations of my party. Gujarat wants change, Gujarat wants good education-healthcare. Gujarat wants Kejriwal." "Congratulations and best wishes to Rajya Sabha MP and youth leader Shri @raghav_chadhaon his appointment as `AAP` Gujarat co-in-charge!" AAP Gujarat tweeted in Gujarati. 

AAP made its debut in Gujarat in the 2017 Assembly polls but failed to open its account. AAP`s hopes in Gujarat have been fuelled by its performance in the February 2021 Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls in which BJP won 93 seats, while Aam Aadmi Party bagged 27 seats and the Congress drew a blank.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, Congress had restricted the ruling BJP to 99 by winning 77 seats. There are 182 assembly seats in Gujarat. 

Notably, the Gujarat Assembly tenure will end on February 23, 2023, and the ECI can hold elections anytime within six months of the expiry of the five-year term. Gujarat is slated to go for Assembly elections along with Himachal Pradesh later this year. 

(With ANI Inputs)