General, Police observers hold meet with representatives of contesting candidates in Hailakandi

A CORRESPONDENT

HAILAKANDI: The district election authorities held a meeting with the representatives of political candidates, independent candidates and their agents to apprise them on various aspects of Model Code of Conduct guidelines and expenditure here on Thursday.

Convening a meeting with the representatives of political candidates, independent candidates and their agents in presence of Election Observer for LA 6 and LA 7 constituencies, Effat Ara, Election Observer for 8 LAC, Jang Bahadur Yadav, Police Observer for all three LACs, Sandeep Singh Chauhan and officers of all cells at his office conference hall, District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner, Megh Nidhi Dahal exhorted upon the contesting candidates and their representatives to abide by the Election Commission of India guidelines for free and fair election in the district.

The DEO told them to lodge complaints against any MCC and expenditure violations to the ECI appointed observers, election authorities, control room numbers and by using c-Vigil.

Dahal apprised them that arrangements have been put in place to obtain votes from homes from senior citizens above 80 plus and persons with disabilities by deputing polling personnel and asked the representatives and their political agents to be present during the voting process. In this context, ADC and Officer Incharge of Postal Ballot, Dhrubajyoti Deb disclosed that 1602 12 D forms have been accepted from senior citizens and PwDs for postal ballot and 1017 rejected. Deb said 15 teams for each LAC have been formed consisting of presiding officer, first polling officer, micro observer, security personnel and videographer for facilitating voting through postal ballot at home and that the entire exercise would be carried out from March 21 to 24. He said that only twice the polling personnel will visit the home of the absentee voters to ensure that they are at home on the day of polling and, if found absent, they won't be able to cast their votes later at the polling station. Persons whose application for availing postal ballot facility at home were rejected would be intimated through different modes of communication so that they can cast their vote at the polling station, he added.

As for essential service voters, facilitation centres will be set up at circle level and the process will begin on March 25 and end on March 27, he said, adding that there are no COVID patients at home as per report submitted by the Health department.

Appealing to the citizens to strictly observe the COVID protocols following rise in cases in some parts of the country, particularly small towns, Dahal said keeping this in view proper sanitisation will be carried out at the polling stations and protective equipment like mask and gloves to the voters and PPE kit to those having temperature and other COVID like symptoms.

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