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The full Commission in its meeting held on 22.07.2005 reviewed the arrangements and preparedness for the forthcoming general election to the Bihar Legislative Assembly, which have fallen due consequent to dissolution of last Bihar Legislative Assembly by the Hon’ble President of India. Shri N.K. Sinha, Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar and Dr. Deepak Prasad, Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar attended this meeting. In this meeting various electoral matters pertaining to management and conduct of elections were discussed in detail.
2. Grievance Cells-cum-Control Rooms have been opened in the offices of all District Collectors-cum-District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers for attending to any complaint regarding Electoral Rolls and Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs). The individuals can check the electoral rolls in the offices of the Electoral Registration Officers and make applications for addition / deletion of names and modification of entries.
3. A new campaign for issue of EPICs has been launched in all districts. Under this campaign, permanent online EPIC centres are being set up in the offices of all Electoral Registration Officers and additional teams are being mobilized to cover maximum number of electors in rural areas. The endeavour of the Commission is to maximize the coverage under EPIC programme so that there is no necessity to prescribe alternative documents for voter identification at the time of poll.
4. The Commission also reviewed the law and order problems. The Commission had earlier discussed the law and order issues with Shri A.R. Sinha, Director General of Police, Bihar on 18.07.2005. The Commission had directed the State Government to send weekly reports beginning 1.07.2005 on execution of non-bailable warrants and recovery of illegal arms and ammunition. The Commission noted that as on 14.07.2005 while State Police executed 11,127 non-bailable warrants, 23,616 warrants remain pending for execution. During the two weeks beginning 1.07.2005 the State Police recovered 164 arms, 18 explosives and 519 ammunitions. The Commission is concerned about the large number of unexecuted non-bailable warrants and low recovery of illegal arms and ammunitions. The Commission directed the State Government to step up its efforts for execution of non-bailable warrants and recovery of illegal arms and ammunition.
5. The Commission also directed the State Government to prepare district-wise lists of persons against whom FIRs have been registered for various electoral offences, persons who have been charged for various electoral offences, habitual offenders and anti-social elements, so that proper preventive action can be taken against them at the time of election.
6. The Commission asked the State Government to send weekly reports on the progress made in the cases charged under the provisions of the Representation of the Peoples Act and other relevant Acts for various electoral offences.
7. The Commission after taking cognizance of complaints that properties have been defaced by some of the political parties in various districts of the State, directed the Director General of Police, Bihar to register FIRs promptly whenever such complaints are received under the relevant provisions of Bihar Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.
8. For the benefit of disabled electors, the Commission asked the Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar to send proposals for shifting the polling stations that are now located on the higher floors to ground floor and also to provide ramps.
9. The Commission after discussing various issues, decided to send four teams from the Commission next week to various districts of Bihar for reviewing the arrangements and preparedness for the forthcoming State Legislative Assembly Elections particularly the arrangements that have been made for attending to the complaints regarding electoral rolls and issue of Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) at district level. These teams will work under the supervision of Shri K.J. Rao, Advisor, Election Commission of India.
RM/AVC/NSR
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