Chief Election Commissioner of India holds a virtual conference with Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all States and UTs
Chandigarh, June 17, 2021:
The Election Commission of India led by Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey held a virtual conference with Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all the States and UTs. It was held to ascertain the experiences of poll gone states and to galvanize the poll bound states.
In addition, the conference focused on key thematic issues like smooth, efficient & friendly voter services, integration of IT applications, extensive voter outreach program, expenditure monitoring and capacity building.
Talking about the recently concluded assembly elections in five states, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) said that by seamlessly conducting elections amid the pandemic for such a large voter base, India has presented a successful model for the world to emulate.
The CEC urged the poll bound states including Punjab to learn from the experiences of states where elections were held recently. In this context, ECI shall hold two day conference with CEOs of five states where elections are due early part of next year. These states include Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Goa and Manipur. Before the two day conference with the poll bound states, the ECI shall also facilitate a virtual conference with five poll gone states.
The Chief Election Commissioner stressed upon the issue of pendency related to the grievance redressal system and instructed the CEOs to ensure that all the complaints should be redressed within 30 days. CEOs were also instructed to take appropriate steps for making voter experience extremely friendly and ensure IT integration and popularization of mobile apps in this regard.
The Chief Election Commissioner also insisted the CEOs to maintain the momentum even in the non-election period. CEOs were asked to make concerted efforts in ensuring 100% error-free electoral roll and make entire electoral process hassle-free.
Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar underlined the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and prescribed guidelines in terms of movement and storage of EVMs. The key points such as separate arrangement of storage for state commissions and involvement of political parties in the First level Checking (FLC) were stressed upon. Rajiv Kumar further elucidated that physical verification of EVM warehouses shall begin from July 1st by the Deputy Commissioners –cum – District Election Officers.
Election Commissioner Sh. Rajiv Kumar in his address said that CEOs of the recently poll-gone states should suggest ways of scaling up/integrating their successful best practices such as mobile apps for absentee voters, criminal antecedents and randomization of polling /police personnel. He emphasized that protocols of SOPs for storage and movement of EVMs should be strictly adhered to and monitored by CEOs. He added that CEOs should ensure periodic physical inspection of EVM storage warehouses. Shri Kumar also said that CEOs should send their suggestions and ideas for new reforms to be taken up in the identified verticals being examined by the Core Committee.
Election Commissioner Sh. Anup Chandra Pandey commended the CEOs for their constructive suggestions. He said that the non-election period should be utilized by CEOs to consolidate and fill up gaps of manpower resources and Infrastructure, plan for communication & awareness activities and step up training & capacity building as per their state specific needs.
Secretary General Sh. Umesh Sinha reminded the CEOs that during the non-election period, the core work of purifying electoral rolls, redressal of grievances of voters, outreach activities for engaging with young & future voters through Electoral Literacy Clubs and other SVEEP measures, staffing & budgeting matters, training of CEO office teams should be taken up on priority so that CEO offices remain in full readiness for forthcoming elections.
Senior DEC Shri Dharmendra Sharma, DECs Shri Sudeep Jain, Shri Chandra Bhushan Kumar and Shri Nitesh Vyas also interacted with CEOs on their specific thematic issues.
During the conference, Chief Electoral Officers of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal shared their experiences and lessons from conducting elections during the pandemic. The CEOs of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand& Uttar Pradesh particularly briefed the Commission about various challenges, innovations and suggestions for upcoming assembly elections in their respective states.
In his concluding remarks, Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey said that during the non-election period, CEOs should focus on consolidation including training & capacity building, Systematic Voters Education & Electoral Participation (SVEEP) and plugging the infrastructural gaps.
Dr. S. Karuna Raju, IAS, CEO Punjab and Ms. Madhvi Kataria, IAS, Addnl. CEO attended the meeting.