Preparations for Upcoming Assembly Elections to Begin, Focus on Increasing Voter Turnout
K Ravi Kumar, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jharkhand, conducted a meeting with Deputy Electoral Officers from all districts to evaluate any unexpected shortcomings that occurred during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections and discuss strategies to address them and increase voter turnout in the forthcoming assembly elections.
RANCHI – The meeting, held at the CEO’s auditorium at the headquarters, aimed to initiate preparations for the upcoming assembly elections and ensure a fair, fearless, and peaceful electoral process.
Kumar acknowledged the crucial role played by all officers and employees associated with the elections in successfully conducting the Lok Sabha polls in the state.
Activating Booth Awareness Groups and ELC Groups
To enhance voter awareness and participation, the CEO instructed the activation of Booth Awareness Groups and ELC Groups formed during the Lok Sabha elections.
He emphasized the importance of inscribing the name and number of the concerned Booth Level Officer (BLO) on the walls of government buildings, enabling voters to easily contact their respective BLOs.
Updating Voter Lists and Setting Cut-off Date
In view of the assembly elections, the cut-off date for publishing the voter list has been set as October 1.
Kumar directed officials to revise the voters’ list by going door-to-door before this date, ensuring that the names of all voters in urban and rural areas are matched with the list.
New voters should be added, and the names of voters who have shifted or passed away should be updated accordingly.
Inspecting Low Voter Turnout Polling Stations
The Chief Election Officer instructed officers to personally inspect polling stations where voting turnout was less than 80 percent.
He mentioned that a social audit team had conducted surveys of minimum facilities at polling stations before the Lok Sabha elections and again three days prior to polling.
Kumar directed all Deputy Election Officers to ensure 100 percent compliance with the Election Commission of India’s instructions regarding minimum facilities at polling stations.
Timely Payments and Support for Polling Personnel
The CEO emphasized the need to ensure timely payment to polling personnel and owners of vehicles engaged in polling work, as per the rules.
He also instructed officials to provide cashless treatment to workers engaged in polling duties who may suddenly fall ill.
In case of loss of life or property of any worker associated with polling work, the guidelines of the Election Commission of India should be followed to provide ex-gratia grants to the affected family members.
The meeting conducted by the Jharkhand CEO signifies the state’s commitment to learning from past experiences and implementing measures to enhance voter participation and ensure a smooth and fair electoral process in the upcoming assembly elections.
