Arif Bhat
Srinagar, Mar 9: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo convened a meeting on Saturday with the civil and police administration in anticipation of the forthcoming visit by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on the 12th and 13th of this month. The primary agenda of the meeting was to sensitize the officials about the requisite measures to ensure the smooth conduct of the Lok Sabha Elections in the Union Territory.
Highlighting the paramount importance of upholding democratic values, Chief Secretary Dulloo underscored the administration’s commitment to facilitating free and fair elections characterized by widespread public participation. He urged both the Divisional and District administrations to proactively undertake all necessary measures to allevia
Dulloo took up department wise issues and enquired from the concerned about the measures they had taken so far in compliance with the ECI directions. He asked each of them to use the time before elections efficiently to make these guidelines applicable on ground.
On this occasion the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), PK Pole informed the meeting about the initiatives to be taken by different Departments. He made out that electoral literacy campaigns in educational institutions are going to be held in coming days besides designating campus ambassadors in colleges and universities.
He further informed that as per the guidelines of the ECI each polling stations should have assured minimum facilities. He revealed that each polling station should have facilities like toilets, ramps, power, drinking water and furniture.
It was also disclosed that necessary measures ought to be taken for inclusion of voter education in the regular curriculum in the colleges and universities. The meeting also discussed the connectivity issues in polling stations, approach roads to them in addition to the transport and other amenities to be made available for transportation of electoral machinery and staff during the election days here in the UT.
