Himachal: Chief Secretary assures CEC of free and fair Lok Sabha elections

Shimla, April 3

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena today assured Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar of fair and inducement-free Lok Sabha elections and six Assembly byelections in Himachal while taking part in a virtual meeting with the Chief Secretaries, DGPs and other senior officers of 36 states and Union Territories.

He stressed the need to providing a level-playing field and conducting inducement-free and fair elections with an equal opportunity to all political parties and stakeholders.

Saxena, while briefing the CEC, said that adequate security measures had been adopted to seal entry points and the porous inter-state border to prevent bogus voting, entry of illegal liquor or drugs into the state. Besides, a strict vigil was being maintained on any type of freebies, movement of cash and narcotics to disturb the election process, he added.

He said that the law and order situation in the state was peaceful and the first round of meetings with the neighbouring states had taken place at the Deputy Commissioner level. Social media was being monitored actively to identify fake news or hate speeches, he added.

DGP Sanjay Kundu also briefed the CEC about the law and order preparedness and foolproof security arrangements being made for conducting smooth and violence-free elections in the state. He said that patrolling and checking in inter-state border areas was being done and field functionaries had been directed to keep a watch over suspicious or other kinds of activities of criminals and nab proclaimed offenders.