M A I N   N E W S

CEC reviews poll arrangements
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 4 — The Chief Election Commissioner, Dr M S Gill, said today he would want the coming Assembly elections in Haryana to be an example for the rest of the country.

Dr Gill, who reviewed poll arrangements with the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of Haryana, Bihar, Orissa and Manipur, said the election schedule would be announced “very soon”.

Having been successful in increasing the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the Lok Sabha poll held last year and in several Assembly constituencies, the CEC promised to use it “extensively” this time too.

In addition to the EVMs, Dr Gill is preparing to put to “effective use” the photo identity cards in order to ensure free and fair elections.

Praising Haryana and Hartron for their role in the near-total completion of the I-cards among the 1.1 crore electorate, the CEC said he was determined to put these to use during the Assembly poll in Haryana.

Dr Gill said Haryana had already conducted 12 rounds to prepare these cards and one more round would be held shortly. This was to enable those who had not acquired one or those whose names had been registered recently in the voters list.

Short of stating that I-cards would be mandatory, Dr Gill suggested that those who had been left out may contact the local Returning Officer to complete all formalities.

“Haryana has emerged on the top as far as preparation of voter cards is concerned with near-total completion of the work. In these elections with the extensive use of EVMs and effective use of I-cards, the state can become an example for the country in having clean elections,” Dr Gill said.

Although the dates for the poll are yet to be finalised, elections have to be completed by March 31 to allow the newly elected Assemblies to take a vote-on-account to meet financial requirements.

The Haryana Assembly has been dissolved 18 months ahead of its tenure while the tenure of Bihar, Orissa and Manipur. Houses will end between March-April this year.

Dr Gill will hold a meeting with the Union Home Secretary, Mr Kamal Pande tomorrow, to discuss the requirement of para-military forces.

The EC has also asked the Home Ministry to send a portion of the central police forces three to four weeks in advance to Bihar in order to “sanitise” same areas before the poll.