Jamshedpur: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K. Ravi Kumar conducted a comprehensive review meeting with senior officials at the Ghatsila Sub-Divisional Auditorium on Sunday to assess preparations for the upcoming 45-Ghatshila (ST) Assembly By-Election 2025.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Electoral Officer directed that every polling station in Ghatshila must function as a model booth and ensure the availability of all Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) — including electricity, drinking water, ramps, and toilets — in strict adherence to the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Ravi Kumar emphasized that election work must be conducted with zero errors and complete transparency. “All departments must strictly follow the Election Commission’s guidelines and work in a time-bound manner. Voters should be treated with utmost courtesy, and their convenience must remain the top priority,” he said.
The CEO highlighted that detailed regulations, SOPs, and training modules have been established for every stage of the electoral process. He instructed all officials to ensure that each phase of election management — from training and webcasting to law and order — is carried out with full diligence and accountability.
Special focus, he said, should be given to violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) on social media. Meetings must be held with digital media representatives to brief them on the dos and don’ts under the MCC framework.
Ravi Kumar also directed that arrangements be made for home voting for voters with over 40% disabilities and for those aged above 85 years, through the Saksham App, ECInet, or by contacting Booth Level Officers (BLOs). For those wishing to vote in person, suitable arrangements such as vehicles, wheelchairs, ramps, and volunteers should be provided at polling stations.
Highlighting a voter-friendly initiative, the CEO informed that the Election Commission of India has introduced design changes to the EVM ballot paper — candidates’ names, serial numbers, and color photographs will now be displayed in bold letters for greater clarity and convenience.
He further directed officials to strengthen SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) activities to increase voter turnout. Polling stations with low participation in previous elections must be identified, and special awareness campaigns should be conducted to motivate voters.
During the review, the CEO also examined preparations related to training of personnel, webcasting, IT applications, strong rooms, ECInet, law and order, and inter-departmental coordination.
On the issue of security, he instructed strict vigilance at all checkpoints and border areas of the Ghatshila constituency. “Take firm action against illegal liquor and drug trafficking, suspicious money movement, and any criminal activity,” he added.
The meeting was attended by IG (Operations) Jharkhand Michael Raj, District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner East Singhbhum Karna Satyarthi, DIG Dhananjay Kumar, DIG Police Headquarters Ashwin Kumar, DIG Kolhan Anuranjan Kispotta, SSP East Singhbhum Piyush Pandey, Rural SP Rishabh Garg, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Subodh Kumar, Dev Das Dutta, ERO and AERO of Ghatshila Assembly Constituency, Deputy Election Emergency Officer East Singhbhum, and other senior officials from the Election Office and District Administration.
