CEC visits Bihar ahead of polls

The Statesman Writes :-

Patna, March 6: The Chief Election Commissioner Mr N Gopalaswamy today said he was committed to conduct a free and fair poll but denied any difference with his colleague Mr Navin Chawla. The CEC along with two election commissioners Mr Navin B Chawla and Dr SY Quraishi was on a two-day visit to Bihar to assess poll preparedness in the state. Addressing a Press meet Mr Gopalaswami, flanked by two other election commissioners, said he was considering demands by the political parties to make adequate deployment of Central paramilitary forces in Bihar. He said the EC was initiating steps to minimise chances of rigging and allowing the voters to cast their votes freely.He expressed displeasure with the progress of election photo I-cards (EPIC) in Bihar adding it needed to be sped up. According to reports available to the EC, only 65 percent of the total 5.43 crore voters have been provided with the EPIC in the state. . The team today held a meeting with the leaders of various political parties. During the meeting, the parties drew the EC’s attention towards the irregularities in the voters’ list and state government’s failure to implement the EC’s directive regarding transfer of officials working for more than three years at a place. The parties also demanded deployment of effective static force at every polling booth to ensure that the voters from the weaker section exercise their votes without fear and launching of Complaint Monitoring System. There were other parties which demanded a close watch on the movement of some convicted criminals now out on bail while one party sought for monitoring of conduct of officials “borrowed” from other states. One of the parties even lodged complaint with the EC about how the state government was adopting dual standard in registering cases for violation of model code at Motohari. “I have sought a report from the local administration”, the CEC said.