IT Correspondent
Mumbai, Dec 23:
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra has said that henceforth political parties fielding candidates with a criminal background will have to explain the reasons behind it to voters.
Voters should be informed about the credentials of the candidate. Parties must inform through newspaper, TVs and publish on the website that their candidate has a criminal record, give reasons to choose such candidate instead of a clean candidate,” Chandra said while addressing media in Panaji, Goa on Wednesday.
Ahead of the upcoming state Assembly elections in 2022, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is beefing up preparations to ensure that the polling remains free and fair. A team of top officials from the Election Commission, led by Chandra are on Goa visit to review preparations in the state that will vote to elect a fresh set of legislators in February.
A high-level delegation from the ECI led by CEC Sushil Chandra, reached Goa on December 20 to assess poll readiness ahead of the 2022 state Assembly elections for 40 Assembly seats.
About the security and other measures being taken by the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections, Chandra said, all the entry points, state and coast boundaries will be kept under watch. The ECI has also directed banks to keep a track of suspicious cash transactions in order to ensure fair elections. Besides the banks have been instructed to give information about any suspicious cash transaction that takes place.
Webcasting in booths
To ensure free and fair elections, webcasting facilities along with data analysis would be introduced in all the 1700-odd polling stations in Goa. The ECI through its special cell, would be monitoring such candidates and whether or not they were informing voters of their criminal past. Chandra said that the updated electoral rolls would be out by January 05 and given to all political parties.
Flying squads
Stating that the EC would crack down sternly on any one dealing in narcotics, distribution of illicit cash or hoarding of freebies, the flying squads would be constituted to monitor distribution of cash and freebies after the model code of conduct is set in, Chandra said adding that the Airport, railways authorities and the Coast Guard have been directed to keep a strong vigil to watch out for such misdemeanours.
Booth increased
The maximum voters in a booth have been reduced to 1000 from 1500 so that proper physical distancing could be maintained. Resultantly 60 new polling stations have been created taking total number of booths to 1722. All polling stations will be made absolutely accessible to voters will disabilities.
Voters
This time 30,598 new voters are enrolled of whom 16807 are first-time voters. Of the first time voters a majority of the voters are senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Out of the approximately 15 lakh population of of Goa, 11.56 lakh are eligible voters.
Apart from Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are scheduled to hold Assembly elections in 2022. While political parties are trying their best to woo voters through their campaigning drives, the Election Commission is preparing to ensure that free and fair elections are conducted while maintaining all COVID-19 norms.
