CHENNAI: Following instructions from the Election Commission, the State government has appointed two Joint Chief Electoral Officers to assist CEO Satyabrata Sahoo in the works relating to forthcoming Assembly polls.
The new Joint Chief Electoral Officers are T Anand, Joint Secretary, Agriculture Department and Ajay Yadav, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department. "Their appointment is for a period of one year or till the need for it ceases, whichever is earlier," said the G.O issued in this regard.
Appointment of one or two Joint CEOs ahead of general elections to the State Assembly as well as the Lok Sabha is a routine exercise in view of the additional works to be done for the elections.
Meanwhile, CEO Satyabrata Sahoo is reviewing the progress made in the arrangements being made for the Assembly elections through a video conference from the secretariat with the District Election Officers this afternoon.
Already, there are indications that the notification for the Assembly elections may be issued in the last week of February or in the first week of March and the polling is likely to be completed before May 3 since examinations for the higher secondary course students will be held between May 3 and 21.
Meanwhile, DMDK founder Vijayakanth has called for applications from party aspirants who wish to contest in the Assembly elections from February 25 to March 5. Already, the DMK started receiving applications from party aspirants from Wednesday and the AIADMK will start this exercise from February 24, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.