CEC O P Rawat praise for poll arrangements

The Chief Election Commissioner, O P Rawat, said on Friday that Telangana is leading by example, when compared to all the poll-bound States, in providing voter facilitation services at all the polling stations in the State.

Addressing a news conference, he said that the provision of ramps, drinking water, toilets, electricity and waiting rooms at the 32,796 polling stations set up for the December 7 elections was hundred per cent complete.

Commending the work done by the district election officers and personnel whose services have been drafted for smooth conduct of polls, he expressed happiness over the arrangements and poll preparedness.

Rawat, along with Election Commissioners, Sunil Arora and Ashok Lavasa during their two day visit to the city as part of the stock taking exercise on the preparations for the forthcoming polls, held meetings with representatives of different political parties and stake holder agencies concerned.

They interacted with the Chief Secretary S K Joshi and DGP Mahender Reddy and host of other officials of departments concerned including the enforcement agencies such as Income Tax, State Excise and the Narcotics Control Bureau.

They also reviewed the work of the district election officers and superintendents



of Police. The chief election commissioner directed the State police administration to step up the security, law and order environment.

The Commission, which took note of the concerns and suggestions from the representatives of political parties, assured them that effective mechanism will soon be in place to ensure polling in free, fair and inclusive manner.

The Commission also directed the State election machinery to ensure effective monitoring and vigilance at all levels to address the concern of the political parties and instill confidence in the electorate to exercise their franchise in a free and fair atmosphere.

The Commission further directed that entire electoral process must be conducted in such a way that every elector is able to exercise his or her franchise without any threat, intimidation or inducement.

Commission also directed to ensure strict compliance of Model Code of Conduct and impartial action must be taken on every complaint received in this regard. Committees tasked with monitoring must be on high alert and take effective action on paid news cases. It has further directed that as per existing instructions, channels owned by political parties and candidates must also be subjected to this mechanism.