Pointing out that Tamil Nadu elections always have the element of “expenditure sensitivity”, Secretary General of the Election Commission of India (EC), Umesh Sinha, on Tuesday said comprehensive preparation would be done to make the elections inducement-free and influence-free.
Mr. Sinha, who was in Chennai with a high-level delegation to assess the poll preparations, told journalists that a strict network of surveillance would be established for the purpose of conducting elections free of inducement and influence.
He said the Commission had a meeting with enforcement agencies of the State and Central government. “The influence by way of money or goodies or liquor or other things has to be stopped and the Commission will come out with heavy hands against those entities who try to influence the voters,” Mr. Sinha said. He released the guidelines for VVPAT and a CD for creating awareness.
Mr. Sinha said he had asked Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer, Satyabrata Sahoo, to work with other stakeholders, civil societies and educational institutions to launch a good awareness campaign so that voters do not get induced.
Noting that elections in Tamil Nadu have been peaceful by and large, he said the Commission would make preparations to handle security management issues, law and order problems and identify the vulnerable pockets. “Vulnerability mapping of each and every police station is done. Intimidators will be identified and the exercise will address weaker sections if they have any problem,” he explained.
When asked about the request of the ruling AIADMK for holding early elections, he said many factors would be considered while finalising the date. “May 24, 2021 is the day when the expiry of the [term of the current] House happens. We will take a call when it comes. It is too early to predict the date,” he said. On the demand of political parties that elections should be held in a single phase, he said the inputs will be given to the Election Commission.
Mr. Sinha said there was a plan to increase the polling stations in the State and all the polling stations that had more than 1,000 voters would be split. “If possible there will be a separate room on the same premises or in the nearby area,” he said. He said all the preparations had been done keeping in mind that COVID-19 could remain during the election. “We are happy to witness the declining trend and in Tamil Nadu it has been contained to a great extent. Personal protective equipment, masks and sanitisers would be kept,” he added.
All polling stations must have facilities such as ramp, wheelchairs and volunteers to help elderly people and people with physical disabilities, waiting areas with proper sheds so that people need not stand in queue in summer. Medical kits, ORS and ambulance facilities should be provided as well.
Postal ballot
Mr. Sinha said the option of postal ballot would be provided to those aged above 80 and people with disabilities in the 2021 Assembly election.
When asked about the doubts raised by some political parties over the transparency of ballot votes, he said a proper protocol would be developed for the purpose and to find out whether a particular person had applied for a postal vote.
“Our polling official will go to their place. It will be like a mobile polling station and they will be able to vote in their own place with [COVID1-19] protocol and safety measures,” Mr. Sinha said.
