TURA, Feb 1: Chief Electoral Officer, FR Kharkongor, on Wednesday, reviewed the poll preparedness being put in place by the district administrations of Garo Hills to the ensuing general elections to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly scheduled for 27th of this month.
Taking stock of the situations and interacting with the district heads of west, Sout West, East and South Garo Hills, in DRDA Hall, Tura, on Wednesday, the CEO said that the Election Commission of India is providing special attention to the strict compliance and discipline in matters of all expenditures relating to the election in the state and the country as a whole.
Stressing on the need for free, fair and peaceful election in order to ensure fuller democracy, the CEO urged the officials to avoid re-polls at any cost saying that re-polls are cumbersome and expensive from the point of view of money, human resource and administrative machineries in conduct of such a re-poll.
Admitting at times, EVMs being only a machine are susceptible for malfunctioning due to various factors, he urged the officials to avoid human errors and stressed on the importance and imparting of proper training to the poll officials handling the voting machines.
The CEO also took stock of the facilities and availability of water, electricity and toilet facilities at the polling stations from the line departments. He also urged the officials to allow the voters to cast their votes even without the EPICs, particularly to the first-time voters if they could produce one of the eleven identification cards as specified by the Election Commission of India.
Earlier, he also reviewed the election preparedness of North Garo Hills.
