Fool proof arrangements in place for Dec 7: Rawath

• 32,574 segments to go for polls, address bogus votes

Hyderabad, Oct. 24 (Maxim News): Chief Election Commissioner, Om Prakash Rawath today stated that fool-proof arrangements have been made for smooth and fair conduct of the Assembly polls in 32,574 polling stations across the state on December 7.

Addressing a press conference on the last day of his three-day stint here on poll arrangements, the CEC appealed to the voters to exercise their franchise in a comfortable manner. The EC has instructed the state and district officials to ensure that the poll code violation is dealt with seriously in all the segments.

The electoral rolls of 2018 comprise a total number of 2.73 crore voters including – 1.38 crore male (50.74 per cent), 1.35 crore female (49.52 per cent), 9262 service voters, and 2663 third gender. However in 2014 LS elections, the figures were – 2.82 crore total voters which include – 1.44 crore male (51.07 per cent), 1.38 crore female (48.92 per cent), 7057 service and 3267 third gender.

Enrollment Up to Nov 19:

‘We have received the complaints on bogus votes, duplication and other anomalies or irregularities from some political parties and the officials were instructed to take necessary steps’, he said. Despite disclosure of the final electoral list the eligible people can enroll until November 19 and cast their votes as per schedule.

The EC has blacklisted the names of Rohingyas whose names are found in the electoral rolls and will take discreet action as per norms of poll code. The voter rolls will be available in Urdu and Marathi also enabling the voters to feel comfort in the voting process.

It has cleansed up the electoral rolls by removing as many as 5,87,046 electors (voters) who are either bogus, duplicate, repeated, shifted or died. Details of 1,56,835 voters were modified on a large scale based on caste, photo, name, age, gender and others. The EC received 1,48,269 applications and approved the eligible voters on checking their veracity.

32,574 Polling Stations:

As many as 32,574 polling stations in 119 segments (General 88, SC 19 and ST 12) will be set up and polls will be held using latest equipment of EVMs, VVPATS and other applications specially designed for physically disabled and blind to exercise their franchise. The DEOs and district administration are engaged to conduct mock polls in villages by involving people to cast votes in advance to avoid future confusion using VVPATS to obtain printed slips that they cast for any candidate or party. Aware of 38 sensitive segments, the EC has made fool proof arrangements with adequate staff and police personnel and facilities provided include ramp, water, power supply, waiting room/ shade and toilets. Besides deploying the adequate police personnel, flying squats and special monitoring teams are in place to check illegal flow of money, liquor or gifts that will induce the voters, he clarified.

Earlier, Rawath who led a-10-member EC team spent three days and held parleys with the political parties, took their complaints and suggestions.

He also reviewed on the polls arrangements with Chief Secretary, SK Joshi, DGP Mahender Reddy, CEO Rajat Kumar, Additional DG Jithender, DEOs and other officials concerned. He instructed them to make use of modern technologies for hassle free elections without any scope for fear, favour besides taking stringent against flow of money, liquor and others that will induce the voters. (Maxim News)