ECI prepares separate check lists for officials in NE

Agartala, Jan 30 (UNI) The Election Commission (EC) has prepared separate check lists for each official engaged in election process in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland for the polls to be held on February 23.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Deputy Election Commissioner R Balakrishnan said the EC had initiated several steps to introduce uniformity in the electioneering of all the three States.

He said the election management had undergone tremendous changes after the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and the EC was in the process of improvement, which was also followed in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

Mr Balakrishnan also pointed out that the EC had adopted new approach in sectoral management by vulnerability mapping, which would help the security deployment and check malpractices.

''EC will identify the vulnerable poll booth at the final stage with the inputs from observers, state election panel and security agencies. The booths will be provided with modern electronic gadgets besides deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces,'' he said.

He, however, informed that the EC for the first time would appoint micro-observers, an extended hand of the general observers to oversee the poll process in these states.

''Micro observers will closely monitor the pollings and their identity will only be known to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEO),''Mr Balakrishnan said, adding that about 500 micro-observers would be appointed in Tripura.

Only the Central government employees and officers posted in these states would be appointed as micro-observers.

''The observers were directed to reach the allotted constituencies at least a day before the last day of filing of nominations and stay there until the end of polling day to ensure immediate redressal of complaints from various candidates,'' he said.

Mr Balakrishnan, who came here yesterday to attend a meeting with the top officials of the administration and discuss the point of references of EC.

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