EC unhappy with arrangements for Delhi Assembly elections

New Delhi, Mar 18 (UNI) The Election Commission today expressed displeasure at the tardy progress in making administrative and infrastructure arrangements required for conducting the Delhi assembly elections to be held later this year.

The Commission directed, after a meeting to review the arrangements, that urgent necessary steps be taken to ensure that the arrangements for conducting elections should be made forthwith.

It noted that the progress in ensuring arrangements after the last meeting held with the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi on September 5, 2007 has been rather slow as they had so far been able to appoint just 4,684 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) as against the required 10,829 BLOs.

Only 200 officials for supervisory work for electoral roll revision were made available against the requirement of 2300.

The database of manpower available with the Delhi Government, NDMC, MCD, among others, had still not been made available, resulting in serious problems.

Number of election-related posts were lying vacant while three Voting Registration and Epic Centres were yet to be set up.

Even after issuance of appointment order of Joint Chief Electoral Officer, it had taken nearly three months for the official to join this month.

Large number of transfers of electoral roll revision-related officials had been done in violation of the Commission's policy instructions. The Commission pointed out that it was carried out without its prior concurrence in spite of the fact that the matter had been brought to the notice of the Chief Secretary and the Lt Governor.

It also decided to hold another meeting with the Chief Secretary, shortly, the sources added.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi.

The Delhi assembly elections are due before December 17, 2008.

UNI BKS KD AS1929