By L S Herdenia
BHOPAL: During Election Commission’s three day visit to Bhopal several political parties expressed apprehension that the ruling party might pack polling booths with government employees having affiliation with the RSS. It may be mentioned here that Madhya Pradesh government had permitted state government servants to participate in RSS activities. This was done through an executive order issued in 2006. Government servants’ participation in the RSS activities was banned before that.
The issue relating to RSS was raised at the press meet held on the last day of the Election Commission’s visit. The commission was asked how it would ensure that government servants affiliated to the RSS are not assigned to poll-related duties. Chief Election Commissioner O. P. Rawat admitted that this issue was raised during the interaction with political parties and assured that the commission would take cognizance of the matter. “All officials and employees are on the EC’s radar. What we mean is that their activity will be monitored through media and other sources and we will ensure that only such government servants will be given poll duties who are neutral,” Rawat said. Under no circumstances impartiality and credibility of the Election Commission will be allowed to be affected, he added.
“We assure you that the elections will be free, fair and credible” he said adding “This is for the first time that an app, E-Vigil, is being launched to empower voters. This app will allow anyone in the election-bound state to report violations of model code of conduct. They can file complaints of poll violation here, upload videos and photos and within 100 minutes they will come to know what action is being taken. This is a revolutionary imitative,” he said.
Also for the first time EC will appoint accessibility observers to monitor ease of voting, he said reiterating that the commission is laying special emphasis on making the election process accessible for all sections of the electorate.
During interaction with the political parties the issue related to EVMs was also raised. Almost losing temper, Rawat said that baseless comments about the reliability of EVMs will not be tolerated especially if they are made by government officials. He claimed that EVMs are totally reliable.
Another issue which repeatedly figured during the interaction with political parties related to the existence of bogus voters. Parties claimed that more than 24 lakh voters were found to be bogus. They stated that since long they have been raising the issue of the presence of 60 lakh fake voters in MP.
They also raised the issue of the addition of 11 lakh names in the voter list. They urged the ECI to improve the accountability of addition and deletion of names from the voters list. “Under the Representation Act the officials shall be made responsible for their work. If they are guilty of any wrong doing then they shall be charged,” he said.
Aam Aadmi Party state coordinator Alok Agarwal demanded that 20 percent VVPAT slips be counted with the casted votes and the time reference for the VVPAY slip vision should be increased to 15 seconds.
OP Rawat also assured that elections to MP Vidhan Sabha will be held on time. He refuted rumours that the elections may be postponed and will be held along with the Lok Sabha elections.
He also ruled out the possibility of Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections at the same time. To hold Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections together the commission will require 32 lakh EVMs while at present only 15.16 lakh EVMs are with the commission. Rubbishing reports that EVMs are being manufactured in China and Japan as false CEC clarified that manufacturing is done at the Bharat Electronics Ltd and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd under video surveillance. He said that “the idea of ‘one nation one election’ is difficult to implement. In his view even Constitutional amendment may be necessary for doing this.
Expressing satisfaction with the poll preparedness in MP, he said 4.94 crore voters, including 2.34 crore women, would exercise their franchise. He directed divisional commissioners and district collectors to look into complaints by a few political parties about polling stations in northern MP being shifted making it difficult for voters from weaker sections to cast their votes.
He also listed some new initiatives to ensure fair elections. These steps include the use of VVPATs in all polling stations, all-women managed polling stations, voter facilitation booths, videographing of polling booths etc.
All the 86,340 polling stations of 230 assembly constituencies will be VVPAT-enabled, which enables a voter to see the name of the candidates and the symbol on paper for which he has cast his/ her vote. At least one all-women managed polling station will be provided in every constituency.
All polling stations will have voter facilitation booth to facilitate voters outside every polling booth. Revised photo voter slips with the location of the polling station, voter guide will be provided to electors. To ensure free and fair elections web casting will be done in almost 6,599 polling stations. Videography by fixed cameras will take place in the rest. (IPA Service)
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