Ranchi: Chief Election Commissioner of India V S Sampat today expressed satisfaction over the preparations for the conduct of Parliamentary elections in Jharkhand. He met representatives of various political parties and senior officials of the state bureaucracy to review the status of poll preparedness and expressed hopes for a peaceful and fair elections in the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state.
Sampat said around 2.03 crore voters will exercise their right to vote in the Lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand out of which there will be 1.06 crore male voters. He said around 2.32 lakh new voters had been added to the list of voters all over the state following the publication of notification for elections on 5th March last.
The Chief Election Commissioner said there will be 15 ordinary observers, 13 expenses observers, five polling observers and four awareness observers in the state to keep vigil on the conduct of elections in the state.
Sampat said political party representatives had apprised him of their difficulty in campaigning due to limited number of vehicles allowed by the administration. He said the district returning officers had been instructed not to limit the number of vehicles to be used in election campaign unnecessarily.
�The expenses of vehicles used each day by the candidates will be added to their total expenses. The candidates should coordinate with the district administration to get permission for landing helicopters at election campaign venues. The permission for this will be given by the district returning officer,� said Sampat.
Sampat said a total of 256 check posts had been set up to inspect vehicles during elections. As many as 295 flying squads have been formed for keeping vigil on election campaigns and expenses in the state, he said.
�There will be 70 micro observers, 865 video cameras and 75 web cameras to keep an eye on elections. So far Rs 51 lakh have been seized. Besides 66,000 litre liquor has been seized. Arrest warrants have been executed through numerous raids in the state so far,� said the Chief Election Commissioner.
Asked about the complaint against Jharkhand Vikas Morcha candidate from Ranchi Amitabh Choudhary for alleged misuse of Jharkhand State Cricket Association stadium for election purpose, Sampat said orders had been giaven to the returning officer for conducting a probe into the allegations.
The representatives of various political parties including Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, All Jharkhand Students Union, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha today met the Chief Election Commissioner and raised issues related to installation of election symbol, party flags and banners. BJP leaders Anil Sinha and Rakesh Prasad said party symbols and flags should be allowed to be installed on housetops of party workers.
Congress leaders assured to assist the EC in taking the polling percentage to 75 in the state. They expressed apprehensions that elections could be influenced by BJP candidate Ramtahal Choudhary as election booths were reportedly situated in institutions run by him. They also said that a probe should be conducted against JVM candidate Amitabh Choudhary for allegedly misusing for allegedly misusing JSCA auditorium and its other properties. RJD leaders demanded Hindi copies of all letters and information issued by the EC.
In his reply, Sampat said permission was not required to install party flags in houses voluntarily by anyone. He said no prior permission of EC was required either for posting messages on social sites.
