ECI reviews preparations for LS polls in 8 NE states, Bengal

The ECI team directed all CEOs to ensure preparation of a healthy and inclusive electoral roll during the Special Summary Revision 2024 in particular, stakeholder participation (including political parties), improvement of various roll indices, enrolment of all first-time eligible voters, removal of deceased and duplicate voters with special focus on enrolment of particularly vulnerable tribal groups, transgender, sex workers, scheduled caste/scheduled tribes, persons with disabilities, citizens over 80 years of age and other identified vulnerable groups.

EOI, Guwahati, Nov 21: A team from the Election Commission of India (ECI) reviewed the status of ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) and preparations for next year’s Lok Sabha elections at a daylong regional conference-cum-review meeting here with the chief electoral officers (CEOs) and state police nodal officers (SPNOs) of eight Northeast states and West Bengal.

The ECI team comprised senior deputy election commissioners Dharmendra Sharma and Nitesh Kumar Vyas; deputy election commissioner Hirdesh Kumar; director general Neeta Verma and directors Pankaj Srivastava and Deepali Masirkar.

Chief electoral officers and state police nodal officers of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Sikkim and West Bengal gave detailed presentations on the progress of the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) and planning/preparations for next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

In regard to preparations for the general elections, the ECI team was apprised of the law and order situation, voter enrolment efforts, assured minimum facilities (AMF) at polling stations, other polling infrastructure besides manpower requirement and availability in the nine states.

The ECI team directed all CEOs to ensure preparation of a healthy and inclusive electoral roll during the Special Summary Revision 2024 in particular, stakeholder participation (including political parties), improvement of various roll indices, enrolment of all first-time eligible voters, removal of deceased and duplicate voters with special focus on enrolment of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), transgender, sex workers, scheduled caste/scheduled tribes, persons with disabilities, citizens over 80 years of age and other identified vulnerable groups.

Plans to increase voter turnout through Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programmes, optimum use of the various IT applications, election expenditure management, training and capacity building of polling officials were also discussed in the review meeting.

The SPNOs were specifically advised to take initiatives ahead of time and act upon on priority basis for ensuring inducement free and safe polls.

CEOs and SPNOs were impressed upon to take all possible measures for forthcoming general election to ensure peaceful, participative and inclusive polls.

Notably, this was the third regional conference-cum-review meeting covering nine states.

The previous two sessions were held in Chandigarh and Chennai on October 31, 2023 and November 9, 2023 respectively, covering 16 states and Union Territories.