Media to be EC's eyes and ears in assembly polls

Guwahati, Mar 9: In a first of its kind move, the Election Commission(EC) has issued a directive to officials in the five states poised to go for polls that any media report bringing into light malpractices and violations of the model code of conduct should be treated as formal complaints and prompt action should be initiated. This was informed by the Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) of India S Y Quraishi in Guwahati on Mar 8.

Interacting with the press after a two-day review of poll-preparations in Assam, the CEC said that the Election Commission will keep the media in the loop to check malpractices during the elections.

He also informed that a 24x7 call centre had been set up with an pan-India toll free number 1965, with 10 hunting lines to let voters make queries or lodge complaints. The call centre will operate from Mar 10.

Elaborating about the working of the call-centre he said that once the a query or complaint has been received, it will be passed on to respective control rooms.

Quraishi also informed that the EC has issued warnings to government officials on poll duty that they would better if they stay away from even minor deviations from political neutrality. He assured that the EC would take all possible steps to ensure that ruling parties do not gain unfair milieu by using government machinery.

OneIndia News