GUWAHATI, June 3 � Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India Navin Chawla today said that although there were very few official complaints concerning the use of �money power� during elections, it has proposed to tighten its machinery to monitor the tendency in view of the ensuing Assembly elections in the State.
�The observers and the presiding officers have been asked to monitor and keep a strict vigil on the use of money power,� informed Chawla while interacting with mediapersons today.
On the issue of Bangladeshis being enrolled in the electoral rolls in the State, Chawla who attended the Zonal Symposium of North Eastern States on �Sharing Better Electoral Practices� at the Assam Administrative Staff College, said that the Election Commission was concerned about it and had devised a mechanism to address the issue by appointing locals as the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across the country, which can help in detection of such voters there and then.
�The BLOs and the booth level agents would also work in tandem to see to it,� he stated.
Seventeen papers were presented in the Zonal Symposium by various officers today on issues like improved electoral roll, security and use of technology during the elections.
On the controversy shrouding the use of Electronic Voting Machines, the CEC said, � We are hundred per cent satisfied with the machines and they cannot be tampered with as alleged by a few people.�
Election Commissioner SY Qureshi, who was also present on the occasion, divulged that officers from the North East are doing very well as far as use of innovative practices during elections is concern.
Citing an example, he said, �In the last elections in Arunachal Pradesh, a lady collector took the help of webcast method via which we could watch the entire proceedings at the booth sitting in Delhi. The method had proved handy and we are now contemplating to replicate the same across the country.�
Qureshi further informed that the Zonal meet of the Chief Election Officers discussed various aspects including electoral roll updating, issuing of photo identity cards, use of money power, transfer policy and involvement of civil society in the electoral process.
The meet, he said, also decided to appoint BLOs for each booth within two months in view of the 2011 Assembly election in the State, besides preparing the training module of the BLOs
�We have asked the officers concerned to review the condition of all the polling stations and add new polling stations where necessary,� Qureshi asserted, adding that he had a meeting with the State Chief Secretary on facilitating the staff support during the ensuing elections.
GUWAHATI, June 3 � Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India Navin Chawla today said that although there were very few official complaints concerning the use of �money power� during elections, it has proposed to tighten its machinery to monitor the tendency in view of the ensuing Assembly elections in the State.
�The observers and the presiding officers have been asked to monitor and keep a strict vigil on the use of money power,� informed Chawla while interacting with mediapersons today.
On the issue of Bangladeshis being enrolled in the electoral rolls in the State, Chawla who attended the Zonal Symposium of North Eastern States on �Sharing Better Electoral Practices� at the Assam Administrative Staff College, said that the Election Commission was concerned about it and had devised a mechanism to address the issue by appointing locals as the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across the country, which can help in detection of such voters there and then.
�The BLOs and the booth level agents would also work in tandem to see to it,� he stated.
Seventeen papers were presented in the Zonal Symposium by various officers today on issues like improved electoral roll, security and use of technology during the elections.
On the controversy shrouding the use of Electronic Voting Machines, the CEC said, � We are hundred per cent satisfied with the machines and they cannot be tampered with as alleged by a few people.�
Election Commissioner SY Qureshi, who was also present on the occasion, divulged that officers from the North East are doing very well as far as use of innovative practices during elections is concern.
Citing an example, he said, �In the last elections in Arunachal Pradesh, a lady collector took the help of webcast method via which we could watch the entire proceedings at the booth sitting in Delhi. The method had proved handy and we are now contemplating to replicate the same across the country.�
Qureshi further informed that the Zonal meet of the Chief Election Officers discussed various aspects including electoral roll updating, issuing of photo identity cards, use of money power, transfer policy and involvement of civil society in the electoral process.
The meet, he said, also decided to appoint BLOs for each booth within two months in view of the 2011 Assembly election in the State, besides preparing the training module of the BLOs
�We have asked the officers concerned to review the condition of all the polling stations and add new polling stations where necessary,� Qureshi asserted, adding that he had a meeting with the State Chief Secretary on facilitating the staff support during the ensuing elections.
