Rajouri: DEO discusses critical matters with Political Reps; Reviews Election preparations

RAJOURI, SEPTEMBER 03: District Election Officer (DEO) Rajouri Abhishek Sharma on Tuesday chaired a comprehensive interaction on election matters with Political representatives, besides reviewing general preparations in a meeting with nodal officers.

The DEO conducted an in-depth review of several key areas crucial for the smooth conduct of the elections, including expenditure management, Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF), postal ballots, electoral rolls, and adherence to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The meeting also covered the status of seizures made till date.

A significant focus was placed on vulnerability mapping, with 518 hamlets identified as sensitive. The DEO directed the nodal officers to finalize the transportation and communication plans, emphasizing the importance of identifying shadow areas where communication is challenging so that stringers can be effectively deployed.

The training of election officials was another critical area of discussion. The DEO noted that the second round of training is currently underway in the three Assembly Constituencies (ACs) and stressed the need for thorough training, particularly for male, female, and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) officials.

The deployment of security forces and the status of the complaint redressal mechanism were also reviewed. The DEO emphasized the importance of training officials on the use of the C-Vigil app, the Flying Squad Teams (FST), and the process of granting permissions through the ENCORE app. He instructed that all political party representatives must be adequately trained on these processes.

Further discussions covered the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the strong room arrangements, barricading of the counting hall, and ensuring lease line connectivity and power backup for counting day arrangements.

Later, he convened a crucial meeting with representatives of political parties to discuss the guidelines and preparations for the upcoming Assembly Elections 2024. The meeting focused on ensuring a fair and peaceful election process across the district.

The DEO urged political representatives to avoid holding political meetings or rallies without prior permission from the competent authority. He assured the representatives that the security of candidates and political parties will be meticulously managed once the necessary permissions are granted.

In line with the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) directives, the DEO highlighted that all candidates must finance their election expenses exclusively from their official bank accounts. Additionally, no candidate is permitted to use cash exceeding ₹10,000 throughout the entire election period. “Candidates with criminal antecedents are required to publish their backgrounds in newspapers thrice during the campaign” he added.

The DEO also reiterated the ECI’s commitment to ensuring a level playing field to all Political parties. He urged against the dissemination of false or fake complaints and cautioned against forwarding unverified or provocative content that could incite enmity among different sections of society. Strict action will be taken against those involved in hate speech, fake news, or misinformation.

Representatives from the political parties present at the meeting expressed their views and unanimously assured that they would fully comply with the directions issued by the Election Commission of India.

The meeting was also attended by Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Raj Kumar Thapa, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Sanjeev Khajuria, Deputy District Election Officer (Dy DEO) Shakeel Malik, Chief Planning Officer (CPO) Maqsood Ahmed, and representatives from all political parties.