All Punjab police stations, SHOs to be under ECI radar: Zaidi : The Tribune India

quick links

States

Cities

Opinion

Life

Move Ahead

Classified

Reach Us

The Tribune

Punjabi Tribune

Dainik Tribune

All Punjab police stations, SHOs to be under ECI radar: Zaidi

Says the ECI considering deputing central forces in all polling stations of Punjab. Tribune file

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 25

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Tuesday said that in view of the coming Punjab Assembly election, all police stations, SHOs and their performances would be under the radar of the Election Commission.

For the first time, polling booths would be set up at leper homes and schools for the blind, he said.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The ECI could consider the option of deputing central forces in all polling stations of Punjab, he told the media.

Penal and civil legal action would be taken against police and civil officers found working under the influence of political parties, he added.

For the first time, there would be an electronic voting facility for armymen deputed outside Punjab. There are around 1.09 lakh service voters in Punjab.

Zaidi said, “Apprehension of drug abuse during election has engaged our serious attention.”

Stating that some political parties had urged the commission that central paramilitary forces instead of local police should be deputed to maintain law and order during elections, Zaidi said the commission was already “engaging with this serious issue”.

“In the elections recently conducted in five states, the ECI had deputed central forces in some states where there were apprehensions about the law and order scenario. Regarding Punjab, the commission is already engaging with this serious issue. We will assess it. We will provide adequate real forces so that no nexus should influence the election at the local level,” he said.

“The commission has taken a serious note of the feedback given by all stakeholders about the widespread use of drugs. The feedback that drugs might be distributed during the election process has engaged the commission’s attention. The ECI has already started discussions with all relevant enforcement agencies. Strategy is being devised on this. The commission is committed to taking up the problem of drugs during elections,” Zaidi said.