Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar held marathon discussions with all District Election Officers (DEOs) through video conference to obtain a detailed feedback about the steps taken for smooth polls.
Ending all speculations, the Election Office formally initiated the poll process in terror-hit Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
This follows the government's readiness to hold elections for the 87-member Legislative Assembly and six seats of the Lok Sabha anytime the Election Commission chose to schedule them.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar held marathon discussions with all District Election Officers (DEOs) through video conference to obtain a detailed feedback about the steps taken for smooth polls.
"The issues discussed in the meeting included functioning of District Contact Centers (DCCs), creation of necessary infrastructure for polling stations, status of polling stations, facilities of webcasting at the polling stations, requirement and movement of EVMs, progress under SVEEP programme, communication plan, transport facilities for the polling parties, security management and others," said an official spokesman
Besides, celebration of National Voter's Day, appointment of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) by various political parties, publication of electoral rolls, imparting of training to polling staff and several other allied issues related to the election process were also taken up in the meeting.
The CEO called upon all DEOs to put in place all the necessary arrangements in time to facilitate a smooth election in the state. "He stressed on strengthening the DCCs with trained manpower and dedicated communication network to facilitate the citizens with their election-related queries and complaints," said the spokesman.
Shailendra asked the DEOs to approach the political parties of their areas to appoint their BLAs expeditiously to facilitate and coordinate with the election authorities in the electoral process.
"BLAs function as a bridge between the election authorities and political parties and help in election process. He also called for attending election-related issues/complaints of the political parties on priority," he said.
J&K is currently under President's Rule. As per the constitution, polls ought to be held within six months of the President's Rule, which came into force on December 19, when the six-month-long Governor's rule ended.
Unlike other states, J&K is first placed under Governor's rule for six months under Section 92 of the Constitution of J&K when the government either loses its majority or no political party or a combination is willing to muster a majority to form the government. The Assembly was suspended five months ago following the fall of the PDP-BJP government in the state. Amid high political drama, J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the Legislative Assembly on November 21.
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