EC team has met several political parties who have made several requests ranging from curbing cash distribution to influencing votes.
Published Jan 10, 2024 | 10:22 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 10, 2024 | 10:22 PM
CEC Rajiv Kumar. (ECI website)
Asserting that the Election Commission is committed to conducting transparent and inducement-free polls in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday, 10 January, said instructions have been issued to officials to deal sternly with all offenders.
Addressing a press conference in Vijayawad Kumar said the commission has emphasised and given clear and firm directions to election machinery and the entire bureaucracy to be impartial, transparent and accessible to all stakeholders.
He said the EC team has met several political parties who have made several requests ranging from curbing cash distribution to influencing votes and strict enforcement for inducement-free elections.
“It is not that you take action against only the small handlers of the liquor, those who are carrying it. Go to the kingpins who are the organisers of crime. Similarly, there would be a strict watch on cash through banks, by the wallets, by the UPI, whatever mode it gets transported,” he said.
All the airports including airstrips and helipads would be checked for all kinds of helicopter and air services on an intelligence basis, he further said.
According to Kumar, Andhra Pradesh has a voter base of 4.07 crore out of which 2.07 are female electors.
He further said about 5.80 lakh voters are above 80 years of age and 1,174 are over 100 years old.
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has 175 segments while there are 25 Lok Sabha seats.
In the run-up to the forthcoming Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh, the Election Commission, led by CEC Kumar held discussions with various stakeholders during his two-day visit that ended on Wednesday.
For forthcoming elections in #AndhraPradesh, 46,165 polling stations will be set up. Avg. Voter per PS will be 870. Webcasting facility available in ~ 70% of polling stations. #ECI #GeneralElections2024 #AssemblyElections2024 pic.twitter.com/xhg9DDeb6h
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) January 10, 2024
He had on Tuesday held a review meeting on the poll preparedness of the state.
Besides the CEC, Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, who constitute the Election Commission, participated in the review meeting.
“ECI has convened a review meeting with all the district collectors, superintendents of police (SPs) and commissioners of police,” an official press release from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Andhra Pradesh said.
The Election Commission engaged in an elaborate discussion on poll preparedness for the simultaneous elections.
In addition to the review meeting, the Election Commission also met with all national and regional political parties in the state, including receiving their representations.
(With PTI inputs)
