Jharkhand catches poll fever with CEC visit

Ranchi, July 21: The preparations for the Assembly elections in Jharkhand are on and for the same the election commision is getting ready to carry out the polls smoothly.

Headed by Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath a team landed in Ranchi on a two day visit. The team met all the chiefs of the political parties on Monday in the state capital.

Along with the CEC a team consiting of election commissionerNasim Jaidi, Deputy election commissioner Umesh Sinha, Director General Akshay Raut and PK Das were present.

The team met the representatives of the parties at Raj Bhavan. Ruling parties suggested for election in November while the opposition demanded as early as possbile.

The BJP on Monday raised its apprehensions of a large number of Bangladeshi infiltrators getting into voter’s list and urged the Election Commission to take cognisance of the matter before the upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand.

Representing the party in the scheduled meeting with the ECI team headed by CEC VS Sampat at Raj Bhavan here, BJP’s state vice president Deepak Prakash told reporters that he had urged the CEC to look into the Bangladeshi infiltrators getting into voter’s list.

He also told the ECI team, which met each party separately, to ensure force deployment in such a manner that the Dumka massacre of polling personnel during April 17 Lok Sabha elections would not be repeated.

“I also told the team to ensure impartial force deployment to prevent administration’s influence on polling days as well as a repeat of Naxal violence,” Prakash added.

Demanding polls in October, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric’s) Principal General Secretary Pradip Yadav told the CEC to ‘impartially regulate’ political canvassing through electronic and print media during elections.

“Big parties are getting away with lion’s share while small parties are left with inadequate coverage,” Yadav said having told to the team. “We have also requested the CEC to ensure expenditure limit of big parties during polls,” Yadav added.

Representatives of the ruling allies—RJD’s Jharkhand unit spokesman Manoj Yadav, Congress General Secretary Alok Dubey and JMM Suprio Bhattacharya said they requested the CEC to schedule dates in November to avoid festival season in September and October.

The ECI team also held meeting with the Chief election officer PK Jajoria and Nodal police officers. The meeting focused on voter ID card updation and also on awareness drive all over the state.