The Chief Election Commissioner Dr SY Quraishi today called upon the Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates of Uttar Pradesh to take all possible measures to increase voter’s participation in the ensuing Assembly elections in the state.Addressing a review meeting for the forthcoming general elections in Lucknow today, Dr. Quraishi expressed his concerns over the extreme low turn out in recently held elections. He asked the officials to ensure updating voters lists and hundred percent distributions of Electorates Photo Identity Cards. He said that political parties should be persuaded for appointing booth level agents for registration of voters.Dr. Quraishi said that most of the political parties of the state have raised objections over working of the state bureaucracy and have underlined politicisation of administrative set up. He asked the district magistrates to take extra care of complaints for inclusion of bogus names in voter's lists. The Chief Election Commissioner also directed the officials to take extra precautions to check the money power in the election process. He also asked for keeping a vigil on expenditure made by the candidates in the elections.Election Commissioners V S Sampath and H S Brahma also addressed the officials. Earlier, the Chief Election Commissioner flagged of three mobile vans for creating awareness among common people to register their names in voter's lists and participation in poll process.The EC delegation will also hold meeting separately with the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary Home and the Director General of Police.AIR Lucknow correspondent reports that all opposition parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and left parties have demanded to the Election Commission for removal of officers who are allegedly working as agents of ruling Bahujan Samaj Party in order to ensure free and fair Assembly polls next year. Political parties have handed over memorandums to the commission.
News On AIR | July 21, 2011 1:34 PM
CEC calls upon DCs and DMs of UP