J&K ,July 26: A high-level team of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has reached Jammu and Kashmir on five days visit for interaction and training of District Electoral Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) while Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) will be reviewing arrangements with all 20 Deputy Commissioners of the Union Territory (UT) on July 27.
There are reports that CEO Hirdesh Kumar will be holding review meeting with all 20 Deputy Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir in the afternoon of July 27 through video conferencing. Though no agenda has been circulated for the meeting, as per the sources, the ongoing process of Special Summary Revision and publication of final Electoral Rolls of the UT on October 31 will be discussed.
The Election Commission of India had ordered Special Summary Revision for Jammu and Kashmir after Delimitation Commission completed its task and submitted report finalizing 90 Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory. Draft Polling Stations have been finalized by all 20 districts and final list of the Stations is expected to be released soon.
“The Election Commission of India team interacted with the Deputy Commissioners, who have been designated as the District Electoral Officers (DEOs), today while over next four days, the ECI teams will be meeting EROs and AEROs in Jammu on July 26 and 27 and in Srinagar on July 28 and 29,” sources said.
On July 26, the ECI teams will be meeting eight EROs and 42 EROs in first batch from Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts at Convention Centre Jammu while in second batch, they will interact with 12 EROs and 29 AEROs from Kathua, Samba and Poonch districts.
On July 27, the ECI teams will meet nine EROs and 28 AEROs in first batch from Udhampur, Rajouri and Jammu Cantonment followed by 14 EROs and 36 AEROs from Reasi and Jammu districts in second batch.
At SKICC Srinagar, the Election Commission team will have detailed training programme with 10 EROs and 26 AEROs of Baramulla and Bandipora districts and Badami Bagh Cantonment in first session while in second session they will meet 10 EROs and 34 AEROs of Kupwara, Ganderbal and Shopian districts on July 28.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India in collaboration with office of the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K today conducted a one day workshop program on ‘First Level Checking’ of EVM/VVPATs for District Election Officers and Deputy District Election Officers here.
Director EVM, ECI, Sunder Rajan, Secretary, ECI, Madhusudan Gupta and Dy General Manager, ECIL Hyderabad, P C Mandal highlighted the main objectives of the workshop.
During the workshop, various aspects related to issues regarding EVM and VVPAT besides FLC basics including most important starting steps, quality of machines, political parties participation and introduction of P-FLCU were taken up. The other issues were also highlighted and demonstration to deal with all stakeholders to conduct election process smoothly was given.
The representative of ECI gave comprehensive overview of the FLC process, presentation and interactive session. The other important issues were also highlighted including responsibilities of DEOs and FLC in charge, Administrative safeguards and stakeholders’ participation. The concerned officers of team cleared all queries pointed out by the DEOs and DDEOs raised by the participants during the workshop.
There have been reports that Assembly elections could be held in Jammu and Kashmir after publication of final Electoral Rolls on October 31. Few days back, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai stated in the Parliament that conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is prerogative of the Election Commission of India.
However, according to sources, since Jammu and Kashmir is a militancy-infested Union Territory, the Election Commission has to take report from the Union Home Ministry and Jammu and Kashmir Government on security situation before taking a call on the elections.
