Election Commissioner to appoint Accessibility Observers for general polls

Vijayawada: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora announced here on Tuesday that the Election Commission of India (ECI) would appoint Accessibility Observers for the first time in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh.

These observers would include general observers, expenditure observers, police observers and micro observers for intensive and impartial monitoring of elections, he said stating that every effort would be made to ensure strict compliance of the model code of conduct and expenditure monitoring.

The CEC, along with Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa conducted review of poll preparedness of Andhra Pradesh for two days and as part of it, he met the representatives of various political parties, the Chief Secretary, the DGP, and nodal officers of the income tax, the excise,  the commercial tax and the state-level bankers, the district election officers, the commissioner of police and SPs.

Addressing the media here, the CEC admitted that there were still gaps in the enrolment of young voters, repeat entries, deletions are being done at some places without verification. Referring to the setting up of polling booths at far flung places, Sunil Arora said that one polling booth would be 
set up in 2 km radius for the population of 1,400 people in urban areas and 1,000 people in rural areas.

On the open threats to the political leaders, he said that the commission directed the election machinery to monitor and to be vigilant to address the concerns of political parties.

He ruled out the segregation of polling booths on community basis. However, security arrangements would be made wherever necessary, he added.

The CEC said that paid news menace would be checked by ensuring effective training of media monitoring and media certification committee members.

He said that the chief secretary was directed to ensure transfers of officers as per the policy of the commission. The CEC directed the officials to use IT applications effectively by using apps like eVigil, Voter Helpline Mobile App and Observers App in the forthcoming elections.