Static surveillance team and a large number of flying squads would be on the move from Wednesday in their attempt to curb money power for a clean election.
Subsequently, the video surveillance teams would also play a major role in capturing the malpractices and District Election Officer’s (DEO) were expected to strictly enforce curbing “illegal money usage.”
Election Commission of India (ECI) director general for expenditure monitoring P.K. Dash informed this during an interaction with the media at Hotel Japfu, Tuesday.
Dash also sought cooperation from the media in bringing to notice of the ECI any malpractices during the election process. He added that “bribe takers and givers” were both punishable and the offence invited up to one year imprisonment and urged the media to be vigilant in observing such cases.
P.K. Dash also appealed the media to educate the voters to refrain from such illegal practices and to teach them the correct form of exercising their franchise.
Further, he informed that district control rooms and district expenditure observers would be placed in all the districts for enforcement of election expenditure firmly and toll free number was also installed at the state level. The toll free number is 1950 for any complaints.
ECI deputy secretary Padma Angmo expressed hope that media houses would partner with ECI through the CEO’s office to conduct clean elections and also urged them to play constructive roles and help the election machineries.
She also reminded the measures to be adopted for checking paid news during elections. The ECI team also informed that they have taken the detailed status of the poll preparedness in the state.
Deputy election commissioner Sudhir Tripathi and state CEO J. Alam were also present during the interaction. Meanwhile, NBCC convener of clean election campaign, Hovithal Sothu highlighted the initiatives taken for a clean, free and fair poll.
He said February 1 would be observed as prayer and fasting day for a clean election throughout the state. Sothu said a one-hour video on free and clean election would be screened in all the churches in the districts. He informed that NBCC officials were on the move across the state to see that things were in the right tract.
Sothu disclosed that his team had also planned to meet top brass of underground leadership and political parties to ensure that moral code of conduct were adhered to with regard to the elections.
Poll expenditure monitoring cell training held
Correspondent
KOHIMA, JAN 29 (NPN): Training of officials/personnel engaged with Election Expenditure Monitoring Cell (EEMC) was held at Deputy Commissioner Conference hall Kohima Tuesday under the chairmanship of Nodal officer EMC Hiazu Meru.
During the training, Meru urged the officials to discharge their duties sincerely and avoid unnecessary problems. He explained the structure of election expenditure mechanism to expenditure observers, assistant expenditure observers, video surveillance teams, video viewing team, accounting teams, expenditure monitoring control room and call centre, Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC), flying squads and static surveillance team.
JE, office of CE & master trainer under EEMC Er. Yapangnungla Moa said under the standard operating procedure, the entire operation by the flying squad and surveillance team would be video recorded and the a copy of the video should be given to the accounting team along with the video cue sheet for safe custody.
She added that for MCMC, besides carrying out the already assigned work of certification of advertisement would also monitor both print and electronic media including cable networks and record either in CD or DVD/keep a photocopy of all advertisement/paid news/election related news of the contesting candidates/political parties.
Er. Yapangnungla Moa also briefed about the maintenance of shadow observation register and folder of evidence, different types of mechanism to be monitored and maintenance of accounts by candidates through the slide show.
IPR deputy director Tokishe Sema shared about the basics of videography to be used as election expenditure monitoring mechanism. Various departments including police, banks, institutions, hospital, election expenditure monitoring mechanism assigned department and other government officials attended the training.
Police personnel designated as ERO
DIMAPUR, JAN 29 (NPN): State government has designated all Nagaland police personnel and home guards, as Election Related Officers, as per section 28A of the Representation of People Act 1951, for those involved in election duties, with immediate effect till completion of the Nagaland legislative assembly elections.
According to an official bulletin, the mentioned officers are deemed to be on deputation to the election commission of India (ECI), and are subject to its control, superintendence and discipline and answerable to the ECI for any act of omission or commission. Notification was issued in pursuance of the standing instructions of the ECI.
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