Delhi Assembly elections 2019: EC reviews poll preparedness

New Delhi, Nov 5: Senior Election Commission of India officials held a meeting with poll panel officials of the city to review poll preparedness for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. The meeting on Monday was attended by a team of Election Commission of India led by Sandeep Saxena, senior deputy Election Commissioner, Director Generals of Expenditure and Media, Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, Delhi Police officials, civic bodies and other key departments.

The review meeting was aimed at sensitising officers to work for proper planning and proactive action to conduct free and fair, inclusive and accessible elections of Delhi Assembly, a statement from the Delhi poll body said. In the meeting, the district election officers (DEOs) were directed to ensure error-free electoral rolls by disposing off all pending forms, removing all logical errors and demographically similar entries (DSE)/Repeat entries removing the dead and permanently shifted electors.

This process has to be completed before publication of draft roll on November 15. Saxena also asked DEOs to appeal to all eligible citizens to get themselves enrolled with qualifying date January 1, 2020 during the special summary revision-2020 for which draft roll will be published on November 15. He said the final roll would be published on January 6, 2020 and all necessary preparatory steps to be taken to conduct the elections before the expiry of the term of the current legislative assembly on February 22, 2020.

"Vulnerability mapping has to be done to identify anti-social elements and intimidators and there should be a plan to mitigate intimidation and undue influence to vulnerable voters," the statement said. Expenditure Sensitive Pockets should be identified and preparations be made to monitor expenditure by political parties and candidates and to check movement of cash, liquor and other goods for use as freebies/inducement for voters during election, it added.

As per latest notification of ECI, senior citizens (above 80 years) electors and People with Disability (PwD) can exercise the option to cast their vote through Postal Ballots, if they so desire. Accordingly, these electors shall be verified and flagged in the electoral roll so that postal ballots are issued to them during elections, the statement said. Marking of PwD voters shall be ensured so that all such voters are flagged in the electoral roll, it said.

All polling stations shall be physically verified to ensure provisions of assured minimum facilities such as ramps, toilets, signages, proper furniture, proper lightings, drinking water, etc, the statement said. Saxena stressed on providing a comfortable and happy voting experience. "Values of gender equality and PwD empowerment should be exhibited through all-women polling boths and all-PwD polling booths," it said. All election-related cases registered during last Lok Sabha and previous Assembly Elections should be vigorously pursued and brought to logical conclusion, it said. The First Level Check (FLC) of EVM/VVPAT should be quickly completed with due participation of all political parties, the statement said.