E-Paper
Himachal Pradesh Elections: 3-tier security at strongrooms
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Maneesh Garg said that the strongrooms have been sealed with a 3-tier security system, and the scrutiny has been completed, in the presence of observers of ECI, candidates or their representatives and returning officers (ROs)
The fate of 412 candidates in the fray from 68 assembly constituencies was sealed in EVMs on Saturday. With the counting of votes to take place on December 8, the Election Commission has put in place an elaborate security arrangement around the EVM strongrooms.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Maneesh Garg said that the strongrooms have been sealed with a 3-tier security system, and the scrutiny has been completed, in the presence of observers of ECI, candidates or their representatives and returning officers (ROs).
The CEO said due to effective enforcement by all enforcement agencies, especially income tax, state excise and police departments, as well as expenditure monitoring teams, seizures of nearly ₹60 crore, were made since the announcement of the poll on October 14 to date, as compared to about ₹10 crore seized during the 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections.
As many as 240 flying squads were deputed in all 68 assembly segments, besides 242 static surveillance teams, 75 assistant expenditure observers, 166 video surveillance teams, 72 video viewing teams, 73 accounting teams, 53 complaint monitoring control rooms and call centres at returning officer (RO) and district election officer (DEO) and CEO level, 13 media certification and monitoring committee (MCMC) and paid news at CEO and DEO level and 13 expenditure monitoring cells at CEO, DEO level round the clock. A total of nearly 3600 personnel were deployed in the above expenditure monitoring teams.
CEO revealed that out of the total of 1779 complaints received during this period, 292 were closed after inquiry, corrective action was taken and compliance was reported in as many as 1308 such complaints. Out of these, 1013 complaints were received over C-vigil, out of which corrective action was taken in respect of 861 complaints. He attributed this increase to the awareness generated by the election machinery about this unique App of ECI and thanked the vigilant citizens of the state for reporting violations on the application, helping in better enforcement of MCC during these elections.
