Ahead of the Assembly election scheduled in Tamil Nadu on April 23, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar chaired a review meeting in New Delhi on Friday with 326 Central observers — general, police and expenditure — deployed across Tamil Nadu. The Commission instructed the observers to ensure that elections are held in a festive mood, fair and free of any kind of inducement, intimidation or violence.
The Commission also emphasised upon the strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct and prompt action in case of any complaints of violations, an official release said. The observers were also asked to well publicise their contact numbers and place and time of hearing the complaints from the public/political parties/candidates or their agents.
“They were also directed to oversee if Presiding Officers have been trained properly with special emphasis on timely feeding of 2-hourly and close of poll voter turnout and other data on voter turnout module of ECINET, proper application of indelible ink, filling up of form 17-C and sharing with the polling agents present at close of poll, deletion of mock poll data amongst others,” it said.
Observers were also directed to ensure availability of assured minimum facilities at all polling stations including mobile phone deposit facility and benches in voter queues. They were also directed to ensure availability of adequate drinking water and arrangements for shade at all polling stations in view of the hot weather, it said. Webcasting monitoring control room arrangements should be properly checked and trial run conducted in the presence of all the staff posted for monitoring, who should be well-trained to identify and flag errors, if any, it added.
