EC finalises 247 observers for Punjab, Uttaranchal polls

New Delhi, Jan 16 (UNI) The Election Commission today finalised 247 election observers for Punjab and Uttarakhand assembly elections, including 60 to monitor expenditure of the canidates.

Addressing mediapersons after a meeting of the full Commission here, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalswami said a total of 247 officers are going to be appointed as Observers in these two States.

Out of this, 187 would work as General Observers and 60 officers would perform their duties as Expenditure Observers.

'While one General Observer is being appointed for each assembly constituency, one Expenditure Observer will look after the election in the whole district, to ensure close monitoring and supervision,'' he said.

The Commission is going to engage the Central Government employees for poll duty, to the extent possible, he added.

The CEC said that the observers would reach their alloted constituency one day before nominations close and stay continuously in the constituencies assigned to them till the end of polling day.

''This would ensure immediately redressal of complaints that are received from various political parties and candidates,'' he said.

He further said that during the first visit, they will supervise the process of nominations, scrutiny, withdrawal, campaign and poll. They would also be supervising preparation of Electronic Voting Machines, training of polling personnel and conduct of voter awareness programmes. All Observers have been asked to look into deployment plan of forces in the constituency, and will also be critically examining classification of ''hypersensitive'' and ''sensitive'' polling stations.

During the second visit, all Observers will monitor counting and declaration of results.

Stressing that the Observers, appointed under Section 20B of the Representation of the Peoples Act, play an important role in ensuring free and fair elections, he said they act as the ''crucial link'' between the field and the Commission.

The CEC announced that during the forthcoming elections, not more than three vehicles will be allowed to come within 100 metres of Returning Officers/Assistant Returning Officers (RO/ARO) office at the time of nomination. To curb the tendency of overcrowding, the Commission has issued directions that, at the time of nominations, only candidates, their proposers and four others will be allowed to enter the office of RO or the ARO. The Observers have been asked to make sure that the affidavits, filed by the candidates at the time of nominations in courts, are displayed promonently and made available for public scrutiny without any delay.

He said the Observers have been asked to undertake extensive tour of their assigned constituencies to build confidence among weaker and disadvantaged sections. ''They will constantly review execution of non-bailable warrants, recovery of illicit arms and collection of licensed arms from undesirable elements. The Observers will also monitor the strict adherance of the Model Code of Conduct,'' he noted.

The CEC said no videography or photography will be allowed inside the polling stations, except in cases where the same is ordered by the Commission/Observers, as per orders of the Supreme Court, without compromisiong the secrecy of voting. The Observers have been directed to make sure that extensive videography is done of all critical events that may take place during the election process and polling at 'hyper-sensitive' polling stations.

''The Observers have also been asked to ensure that all those officers who stand transferred because they were in their home districts or they had completed three years of tenure at last station during last four years or were charged of misconduct during previous elections or charges have been framed against them in a court of law, be physically moved out,'' he added.

The CEC said that the Observers were been directed to order repoll where ever the start of poll has been delayed for more than two hours for any reasons.

Similarly, the EO were asked to monitor the expenditure closely and check the accounts submitted by the condidates regularly. The accounts submitted periodically by the candidates shall be displayed by the RO prominently, Mr Gopalaswamy added.

UNI