The Election Commission Thursday mentioned central forces will play a bigger position in poll-bound states together with Tamil Nadu to make sure equity within the voting course of.
Speaking in Chennai forward of the Tamil Nadu polls, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora additionally mentioned Special Expenditure Observers can be despatched to the state to deal with the persistent difficulty of money distribution amongst voters. The EC has additionally determined to increase polling hours within the state by an hour, he mentioned.
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry are more likely to go to polls in April or May. During polls in all of the 5 states, the Central Armed Police Forces coordinator can be a part of the panel that allocates and decides on the deployment and motion of personnel.
Arora acknowledged that the central forces will play a key position in guaranteeing a free and honest election including that the choice was taken primarily based on suggestions from political events. He mentioned the extension of polling hours was additionally primarily based on ideas from political get together representatives and the present bodily distancing norms.
Arora mentioned the 2 Special Expenditure Observers being despatched to stop the distribution of cash to voters can be retired officers from senior authorities positions corresponding to Secretary to the Government of India or Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes.
The CEC mentioned the fee will enable postal ballots for residents above 80 years even when there have been differing opinions from events in Tamil Nadu, claiming there was no malpractice on this regard throughout the Bihar polls.
He acknowledged that the EC expects a a lot larger voter turnout than regular. There can be 25,000 extra polling cubicles in Tamil Nadu contemplating the pandemic.
The bypoll to the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat, the place the seat fell vacant following the dying of Congress MP H Vasanthakumar final 12 months, additionally can be held alongside the Assembly polls.
The high official expressed displeasure over the work by some regulatory arms of the Tamil Nadu authorities forward of the notification of state polls. “When we had the meeting of the regulatory agencies, I must say we were quite unhappy with the overall performance of the state excise department as well as the Special DG enforcement. We have brought the relevant facts to the notice of the Chief Secretary.” Arora mentioned the EC was upset about non apprehension of the ‘big fish’.
