Jamshedpur DC holds review meeting for smooth Municipal Polls 2026

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Feb 7: With preparations gaining momentum for the Municipal Elections 2026, District Election Officer (Municipal)–cum–Deputy Commissioner Karn Satyarthi on Saturday chaired a comprehensive review meeting of all election-related cells at the Collectorate auditorium.
The meeting focused on assessing preparedness and issuing clear directions to ensure free, fair and smooth conduct of the elections.
Senior officials and election observers were present, including Mangos Municipal Corporation Expenditure Observer Swaminathan, General Observer Jitendra Kumar Dev, Jugsalai Municipal Council General Observer Rajesh Kumar Saha, Deputy Development Commissioner Nagendra Paswan, NEP Director Santosh Garg, ADM SOR Rahul Ji Anand, along with nodal and in-charge officers of all election cells.
The District Election Officer directed all cells to strictly follow Election Commission guidelines under the close supervision of observers during polling and counting. The Personnel Cell was instructed to complete data entry of election staff on the portal and ensure proper randomisation before deployment.
A Medical Board is to be constituted for disposal of applications seeking exemption from election duty.
The Expenditure Monitoring Cell was directed to inform candidates of scheduled dates and ensure proper maintenance of election expenditure accounts.
The Materials Cell was asked to assess requirements, ensure local procurement of essential items, and conduct physical verification of polling party dispatch centres, ballot unit receipt locations and counting halls.
The Transport Cell was instructed to manage adequate numbers of small and large vehicles through the VMS portal as per requirement.
Key instructions were also issued to ensure deposit of licensed arms by candidates and residents, activate a single-window system for granting permissions related to election campaigning, and strengthen surveillance through active flying squads. Officials were directed to survey polling stations to ensure basic facilities, arrange uninterrupted electricity supply on polling day, provide meals to polling personnel through Mata Committees, and ensure door-to-door distribution of voter slips at least 12 days prior to polling.
Emphasising accountability, the District Election Officer stated that all cells must discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, leaving no room for negligence.
He underlined that election work must be carried out in a spirit of teamwork, coordination and strict adherence to Election Commission directives to uphold the integrity of the democratic process.