Govt bracing for free, fair LS elections: Joshi

​Hyderabad: Chief Secretary S K Joshi on Monday said the government is ready to hold the Lok Sabha polls in a peaceful manner with the same spirit it exhibited in the just-concluded Assembly polls.  He was participating in a video conference addressed by CEC (Chief Election Commission) Sunil Arora from Delhi.

From the Secretariat, the Chief Secretary interacted with Arora along with State Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar, DGP Mahendar Reddy and Principal Secretaries Somesh Kumar, Rajiv Trivedi  and other officials. Joshi informed the Election Commission that the officials are ready to provide all facilities and establish polling stations, apart from providing assistance to the physically disabled persons.

The official said that budget would be released for the polls and the officials would hold a meeting with border States on February 5 to ensure smooth conduct of the polls and also publish the electoral rolls by February 22.

The DGP said that the police would remain alert to the Naxalite movements from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Steps would be taken to tighten the security at border areas. He requested the Commission to deploy 19,000 policemen and 276 companies of Central Forces  to the State for poll duties.

Rajat Kumar assured the Election Commission that all arrangements  would be made to facilitate free and fair elections. Required number of Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers would be deployed to update the electoral rolls and launched toll-free number 1950. The Election Commission had so far received 16 lakh claims and objections. The last date for enrolment of new voters has been extended up to February 4 in the light of Panchayat polls.