In the wake of the assembly elections, the representatives of Election Commission of India, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Mr. Umesh Sinha and Deputy Election commissioner Mr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar reviewed the election preparedness and the law and order situation in Pune division in a review meeting with the District Collectors cum District Election Officers and Police Officers of Pune Division. Additional Chief Election Officer Dilip Shinde, Divisional Commissioner Dr. Deepak Mhaisekar, Pune City Police Commissioner Dr K. Venkatesham, Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner Sandeep Bishnoi were present in the review meeting.
Mr Sinha said, that during last Loksabha election voting perentage in pune city was on the lower side. Election Commission has directed to focus on voters awareness activities (such as SVEEP and voter slip distribution) in the coming week so that voting percentage could be increased. It was further directed to utilize all media platforms to reach the voters especially city voters.
Assured minimum facilities as per the directives of Election Commission of India should be made available at the polling booths to facilitate the voting process. All the roads which had been damaged during rainy season should be immediately repaired in order to ensure smooth movement of polling parties as well as voters of the district. Special care should be taken to facilitate people with disability, senior citizens and women, ECI had further directed. Voters should be made aware of their respective polling station and their serial number in voter list well in advance through 100% photo voter slip distribution. Special care needs to be taken to create awareness about temporary polling stations and those polling stations whose location has been changed through all available media platforms.
Election Commission Deputy Commissioner Mr Sinha further reiterated that all necessary measures should be taken to ensure that election process is conducted in a peaceful and fearless environment. For this purpose commission has directed to ensure web casting facilities at all critical polling stations and other such polling stations where district administration feels necessary. Micro observers were asked to be deployed in sufficient number to ensure strict vigilance on the poll day. Route march and confidence building measures should be carried out in critical and vulnerable areas in close coordination by District administration and Police Department. Necessary arrangements should be undertaken to ensure that all those on election duty can cast their votes.
Further, strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct should be ensured through efficient functioning of Static Surveillance teams, Flying Squad Teams, and other such teams which are meant to ensure implementation of the guidelines of Model Code of Conduct.
Pune District Collector Mr. Naval Kishore Ram, Solapur District Collector Dr. Rajendra Bhosale, Satara District Collector Shweta Singhal, Kolhapur District Collector Daulat Desai, Sangli Collector Dr. Abhijit Chaudhary, Pune District Police Superintendent (Rural) Sandeep Patil and other senior officers had attended the meeting.
