CEC sets hundred per cent voters ID card target for Punjab

Chandigarh, July 26 (UNI) With the assembly polls in Punjab scheduled for February next year, the Election Commission today directed the election officals in the border state to ensure that every voter has a identity card by December 31 this year.

''Punjab has a better communication network than other states, I dont see why hundred per cent coverage of voters identity cards cannot be achieved,'' Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami said while addressing a media conference here today.

If West Bengal could achieve the figure of 93 per cent, then Punjab which was better equipped in all matters could achieve the hundred per cent target, he said.''Every voter should have some form of identity before the next assembly polls '', he said when asked whether those who do not have identity cards would be allowed to cast their votes.

Presently in Punjab 72 per cent of the electorate has been issued identity cards. The next phase of issuing identity cards to the remaining electorate would commence on September one.

Mr Gopalaswami disclosed that HATRON had been given the contract for making identity cards in Punjab. The company has been instructed to send one team on designated dates to each of the 117 assembly segments for preparation of identity cards.

A voter will be issued an identity card on-the-spot within 25 minutes, as had been done in Tamilnadu, the CEC said. Arrangements would also be made for delayed delivery of the cards, he added.

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