NEW DELHI: Announcing assembly polls in five states, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Friday said the commission would ensure that money and other undue influences are not used to sway voters.
Five central observers would oversee the poll process in every district and the daily feedback monitored, Zaidi said, adding that central flying squads with central police forces will curb parties’ attempts to buy votes.
Striving for free and fair elections, Zaidi said the commission has ordered the transfer of officials above sub-inspector rank out of areas they have served for over three years. To a poser on ‘proximity’ of certain officials in West Bengal with the ruling party there, he said the Commission will ensure that only those who are neutral and impartial are associated with poll-related work. “We will take appropriate action... we are keeping a watch,” he said.
Questioned about the duplicity of voters on the rolls in Kerala, Zaidi said the Commission has used latest software to delete multiple entries. “We will now investigate whether it was an inadvertent mistake or a mischief”.