from daijiworld's special correspondent
Panaji, Apr 26: Talking tough, the chief election commissioner N Gopalswami sounded a warning to all the candidates to restrict use of money and liquor in the constituencies.
Gopalaswamy also urged the state authorities to immediately execute the non-bailable warrants issued against about 100 persons in Goa as “these persons could be used to intimidate voters”.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday evening, Gopalaswamy said there are non-bailable warrants issued in Goa which are awaiting execution and urged the authorities to first execute these warrants against the accused and later against the witnesses.
Gopalaswamy arrived in Goa ‘for a quick review’ of the assembly election process along with both the election commissioners, S Y Quraishi and Navin Chawla, the deputy election commissioner, R Bhattarcharya and special observer for Goa, Nalini Netto.
The election commissioners met with the returning officers, the district collectors, the Chief Secretary, the police top brass and representatives of political parties. Gopalaswamy urged the police top brass to ensure that history-sheeters and other anti-social elements do not interfere with the elections.
The CEC said he has reviewed the requirement of police force in the state during the election and in sensitive and super-sensitive constituencies, the commission intends to put central paramilitary forces. The sensitive constituencies would be identified soon. He also expressed unhappiness over the poor enforcement of the election model code of conduct in Goa and urged the authorities to first file FIRs against offenders who deface public property before removing the offending material. He said that although the model code of conduct was in force for the last seven days, still no cases of violations had been registered.
The CEC expressed unhappiness over the poor coverage of the electoral photo identity cards in some constituencies of Goa and advised the state authorities to keep the facility open for more voters to obtain their EPIC cards until three days from the date of election.
Gopalaswamy said he has asked the authorities to issue the EPIC to citizens within 20 minutes of the citizens arriving to get their EPIC cards done. He said the target for all constituencies was 80 per cent EPIC coverage. He has asked the authorities to raise the coverage in those constituencies where it is below 60 per cent.
He said several representatives of some political parties have told him that while there was no poll-related violence in Goa, liquor and money power would play a role and these parties wanted the commission to restrict the use of liquor and money power during the elections. Gopalaswamy said that not only will information and circulars be posted quickly on their website but the facility of lodging poll-related complaints through email will also be available to all during this elections.
The CEC said he has asked for a list of government servants who have been given ad hoc promotions and posted to election related duties recently. He said these persons would be shifted from their positions. Mr Gopalaswamy told the returning officers that not only should they be neutral but they should also be perceived to be neutral.
UP Dacoit Menace to be Checked
Panaji: The Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said that menace by a dacoit in UP's Chitrakoot and Pratapagarh district will be kept under control during polling.
Gopalaswami, who was down in Goa to review Goa assembly polls scheduled on June two, said that the special arrangements are in place to counter threats by dacoit Shiv Kumar Patel alias Dadua in UP's both the districts.
He was reacting to the reports of alleged threats by Dadua asking voters to favour Samajwadi Party as his brother Bal Kumar Patel is in fray on SP ticket from Patti (Pratapgarh) and his allies in few other constituencies in these districts.
Carrying a reward of Rs 500,000 on his head, Shiv Kumar had openly threatened to kill anyone defying him and opposing the ruling Samajwadi Party in his vast territory spanning all across the dry forests of Chitrakoot along the Vindhyachal mountains, the media reports has mentioned.
"DGP (G L Sharma) himself has taken a special review on Monday. We have appointed special task force so we are reasonably certain that it (Dadua menace) would be kept under control," Gopalaswami told PTI in Goa.
Asked whether polling would be affected with Dadua Menace, the CEC said that with the efforts taken, we think it should not affect the polling process. The polling is on April 28.
Earlier report: