Expresses satisfaction over poll preparedness
Guwahati: All the polling stations in rural areas of Assam would be guarded by personnel from Central Paramilitary Forces (CPF) even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed all district authorities in the poll-bound state to review the list of vulnerable locations and ensure adequate deployment of the CPFs in these areas to boost the confidence of the voters and shield them from intimidation, if any.
Informing this at a press conference here on Tuesday, visiting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr Nasim Zaidi said, “All district authorities of Assam have been asked to recheck on vulnerable of locations and areas with SC, ST, backward population.” “The CPFs will visit these vulnerable areas to boost the confidence of the voters and ensure that they are not intimidated or influenced in any manner.
Deputy commissioners and superintendents of police will be personally responsible to ensure that no voter intimidation takes place.”
In respect challenges faced by the EC for conducting free, fair polls in Assam, the CEC said, “There are challenges of terrain. Complexities like extremism, political rivalry and social formations are also there. The administration has been asked to deal with all these.”
He said all polling booths in rural areas and maximum numbers in urban areas would be covered by CPFs. The CEC expressed satisfaction that action had been taken in most of offences related to 2011 state polls and 2014 Lok Sabha polls.He informed that 23,000 out of 32,000 licensed arms in the state had been deposited so far while 3000 pending non-bailable warrants had been executed.
The EC officials have so far recovered over Rs 7 crore in cash, which is much higher than the amount of money seized in any election held in the state till date. Five lakh litres of illegal liquor have also been seized.The EC has taken steps to set up 250 model polling stations and provide special facilities for physically disabled voters, blind voters and senior citizens, among others as well as to ensure turn out of the maximum of the total 1.99 crore voters in the state.
The CEC claimed that the IT-enabled initiatives of the ECI for public grievance redressal and facilitation of political parties, like ‘Samadhan’ and ‘Suvidha’, have generated good response from the targeted groups.
Meanwhile, political parties during the meeting with the visiting full-bench of the EC on Monday urged for expedited deposition of licensed arms, seizure of illegal arms and liquor and identification of possible intimidators in identified areas. The parties also drew attention of the ECI to possible abuse of black money and distribution of gifts in tea garden areas.The full bench of the ECI, comprising Dr Zaidi and election commissioners AK Joti and OP Rawat were on a two-day visit to the state since Monday.
Meanwhile, The Election Commission on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the poll preparedness in Assam, but asked the administration to ensure that licensed arms are deposited and illegal weapons are seized. It also asked the authorities to look into the movement of black money and effective deployment of central forces to ensure free and fair polls.
Led by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, the full bench of the commission was in the state for a two-day programme starting Monday.
Polls for the 126-seat assembly will be held in two phases — April 4 and 11.
“Central paramilitary forces have started arriving in the state from March 15. More will be sent depending on the necessity ahead of the polls. All central forces are being deployed for domination in vulnerable areas to boost the confidence of the electorate ahead of the polls,” Zaidi told newsmen in Guwahati on Tuesday.
He said that on election day, all polling locations in rural areas and maximum polling locations in urban areas will be manned by central forces to be deployed by EC observers.
Over 23,000 of the total 32,000 licensed arms have been deposited in the state so far.
“When the EC visited the state in December 2015, there were 44,000 non-bailable warrants pending execution. I am happy to know that now only 4,500 NBWs are pending execution and instruction has been given to liquidate the same,” he said.
Appreciating the election machinery, the CEC said over five lakh bottles of country liquor as well as cash amounting to Rs.7.12 crore have been seized till Monday evening from different areas of the state.
“The seizure of money this time is many times higher than on previous occasions,” he said.
“Deputy commissioners and superintendents of police have been directed to keep strict vigil on the movement of illegal arms, ammunition, fake currency and unaccounted money,” said Zaidi. (With inputs from IANS)