EC directs to increase number of poll officials to four in Bengal

Kolkata, Mar 18 (UNI) In a fresh directive the Election Commission today ordered appointment of one additional polling official in every booth in West Bengal instead of the conventional practice of having three as in earlier elections.

Announcing the latest directive from the Commission, State Chief Electoral Officer(CEO) Debasis Sen told newsmen here that the new fourth official would be posted just outside the booth to verify every voters' identity card before allowing him/her to go inside the polling station to cast the vote.

As per the earlier directive of EC, no voter would be allowed to exercise his franchise without the voters' ID card.

Clarifying that he was not aware whether the directive was meant only for five phase polls in West Bengal, or applicable in all the five states which are going to the polls next month, Mr Sen said for this purpose, about 50,000 additional polling personnel would be required to man as many number of booths in the state.

To query, the CEO also made it clear that, if necessary, the same person might be requisitioned for more than one phase of polling.

He said till the last Lok Sabha elections, only three polling officials used to assist the Presiding officer in every polling station. But now the EC had decided to appoint one more officer, to be posted outside the booth, for better coordination and for ensuring effortless casting of votes. Incidentally, each booth would cater to about 1400 voters in the state, Mr Sen said.

Moreover, Mr Sen, quoting another EC directive, informed that this time the voting compartment in every booth would be made of cardboard only and not by any other materials like hessian or any other cloth fabric, the ususal practice in all previous polls.

In fact, the Commission had also provided the exact size of the voting compartment (21'X 21'X 21') to ensur totally secrecy of ballots and leaving no doubt at any point, the CEO said.

However, the Commission did not change the poll timing and had announced that it would be conducted between 0700 hours and 1700 hours on each of the five days of polling, Mr Sen said.

About the preparation of fresh voter identity cards, the CEO said the programme was going on smoothly as per schedule and he hoped that the entire process would be completed before the first phase of polling on April 17 The new list of voters would also be included in the final vioters' list on time, he clarified.

Meanwhile, the CEO said the three member Eelection Commision led by Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon, was arriving in the city on March 21 on a two-day visit.

During its stay, the Commission would hold detailed discussions with the state Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, all DMs, SPs and other senior government officials besides the representatives of all political parties. Before leaving for Guwahati the next day they would address the media, Mr Sen said.

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