SEC prod to observers on transparency in civic polls

Hyderabad: State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy on Monday asked the election observers to be physically available in the wards assigned to them and conduct the process in a transparent manner by taking suggestions from the political parties' representatives.

At a review meeting, the State Election Commissioner wanted the officials to ensure the observers appointed are physically present in their ward.

Every ward would be treated as a constituency, he said.Of the 142 municipalities, 132 would be going to polls soon. The elections would be conducted in about 3,149 wards.

The SEC said that the rules followed during the Assembly elections would be followed in the municipal elections. The returning officials should make sure the process like notification, nomination, declaration are taken up in a transparent manner.

The SEC has prepared separate software T-poll for getting information regarding the municipal elections. The electorate details of municipalities are provided as per the polling station.

Every polling station would have about 800 voters. The SEC wanted the officials to ensure there is lighting facility in every polling station and also arrangements forweb casting of the polling process.

He wanted the officials to prepare an action plan well before the elections.

The officials should also ensure the candidates adhere to the election guidelines and wanted them to keep an eye on the loud speakers, maintaining shadow registers.

There will be a distribution/ collection/ counting centre in every local body and the officials should make sure there is enough number of polling staff in those centres.

The SEC wanted the officials to ensure the counting halls and the strong rooms are kept adjacent for convenience.

The Centre would send micro observers and they would examine the polling and sensitive polling stations.

Special CS Suresh Chanda, additional DGP Govind Singh, CDMA T K Sridevi, State Election Commission Secretary Ashok Kumar, election observers were also present.