Election Commission of India team to visit Telangana state to assess poll preparedness

Hyderabad: An Election Commission of India (ECI) delegation, led by Dharmendra Sharma, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, and Deputy Election Commissioners, along with senior officers will be on a three day visit to the city from June 22 to June 24.

The EC team will review the preparedness for the forthcoming election and give necessary instructions to the State electoral authorities.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj on Wednesday held a meeting with Director General of Police (DGP) Anjani Kumar and discussed the State’s poll preparedness. The meeting aimed to appraise the District Collectors and Superintendents of Police about the upcoming elections to the state Legislative Assembly.

The CEO said that, the EC team will first engage in a crucial meetings with CEO Telangana, Special Police Nodal Officer, and CAPF Nodal Officer. These discussions will provide an opportunity to exchange insights and strategies regarding the election security related issues.

Thereafter, the ECI delegation will hold extensive consultations with District Collectors/SPs and various enforcement agencies, including the Income Tax (CBDT), NCB, Excise Department, State GST and CGST Department, Enforcement Directorate, State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC), DRI, RPF, CISF, and State Commercial Tax Department. This collaborative effort aims to foster coordination at State and district levels to preserve the integrity of the electoral process.

The DGP emphasised the crucial role of district police officers in ensuring a smooth and secure election. He highlighted the need for adequate manpower and instructed officers to map border check posts while facilitating cross-functional training with agencies like the Income Tax and GST departments.

The meeting was also attended by key officials, including Sanjay Jain, Additional DG and Special Police Nodal Officer (SPNO), Swathi Lakra, Additional DG, Shah Nawaz Khan, IG and others.