HYDERABAD: The stage is set for the two-day visit of the Election Commission of India (ECI) team to Hyderabad on Tuesday to assess the ground situation for the smooth conduct of elections to the State Assembly.
The team headed by deputy election commissioner Umesh Sinha will be meeting leaders of all political parties and officials from transport, excise and income tax departments separately on Tuesday.
On September 12, the ECI team will hold a high-level meeting with all the district collectors, superintendents of police (SPs) at HMWS&SB head office from 10 am and gather information from them on prevailing ground conditions, voters list, EVMs, VVPATs, polling and police personnel required for polling arrangements.
Meanwhile, the chief electoral officer of Telangana, Rajat Kumar, met various officials of Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi on Monday and discussed about the poll preparedness for the ensuing Telangana Assembly polls.
He told Express that various election-related issues were discussed during the day with different heads of ECI such as second special summary revision of electoral rolls with reference to January 1, 2018, as the qualifying date, the readiness to hold polls, deployment of staff for the ensuing polls, requirement of police personnel for maintaining law and order during the election process, polling arrangements, creating awareness on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs).
Revised electoral roll uploaded online
As per the directions of the ECI, the second special summary revision of electoral rolls 2018 for 119 Assembly constituencies has been uploaded in www.ceotelangana.nic.in website. However, GHMC did not upload the same till late night.
The draft electoral rolls that were to be put up at Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) offices and the offices of revenue divisional officers, municipal commissioners, and mandal tahsildars are yet to be displayed. They are likely to be displayed from Tuesday, according to officials.
New electors who have completed 18 years of age as on January 1, 2018 (those born before January 1, 2000) can submit Form 6 for the inclusion of their names. Indian citizens living abroad can submit For 6A for the inclusion of their names.
Form 7 has to be submitted for deletion of names. Electors can apply for correction in names by submitting Form 8 and those who have shifted residence within Assembly constituency can submit Form 8A for address change.
The electors can file their claims and objections up to September 25. Special campaigns in Gram Sabhas and local bodies will be taken up from September 15 and 16. The last date for disposal of claims and objections is October 4. The updating of database and printing of supplement will be completed before October 7. The final publication of electoral roll will be out on October 8.
DGP meets CS to discuss poll arrangements
Telangana Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy met Chief Secretary S K Joshi and discussed about poll arrangements for the ensuing Assembly polls. Deputy chief electoral officer Satyavani held a meeting with joint collectors in her office and discussed the requirement of various poll equipment.
DEO meets representatives from political parties
Hyderabad district electoral officer and commissioner M Dana Kishore assured representatives belonging to political parties that the views and suggestions given by them would be looked into.
The existing system will be further strengthened by deploying 200 senior officers to assist the EROs, supervisors and BLOs for effective implementation of revision of electoral rolls as per the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The DEO held a review meeting with all the representatives of the various political parties including the Congress, BJP, TDP, TRS, MIM, CPM and CPI at GHMC head office on Monday.
While interacting with the DEO and GHMC senior officials, representatives of political parties requested the DEO to create awareness about the revision of electoral rolls in all the areas in the GHMC limits well in advance so that the voters can enroll their names.
Some representatives said that a few names had not been included despite requests to EROs. Reacting to this, the DEO instructed all the EROs to clear the issues failing which they had to face the consequences.
Responding to the queries made by some of the representatives, DEO said that sufficient staff were available to cope up with the election work. If necessary, staff from various government departments will be taken for election-related work, he said Zonal commissioners and EROs were instructed to conduct meetings with the political parties on every Saturday.