Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi said on Friday that the Election Commission would consider the views of political parties also in determining sensitive booths for security arrangements during the Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference here, Dr. Quraishi said the Commission would adopt 11 criteria for determining the vulnerability of polling booths. These could include voting patterns noticed in the constituencies in the past elections. The political parties could submit list of booths they considered sensitive for consideration of the Commission.
Dr. Quraishi said the Commission had started an inquiry into the reported complaint that Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced rail concession for girls in the Rajya Sabha after the model code of conduct for the elections had come into force. The Commission would inquire into media reports about any action by political parties and candidates that had the effect of inducing voters in their favour, without waiting for formal complaints.
The Commissioner declined to comment on the Commission's order against implementation of the government order extending the scheme for supply of rice at Rs.2 a kg, noting that the matter was sub-judice.
On Kerala Congress (B) leader R. Balakrishna Pillai contesting the elections, the Commissioner said that any person whose name appeared in the voters list could file nominations. However, it was to be examined whether Mr. Pillai's conviction attracted disqualification under the Representation of People Act.
Hoardings
He said hoarding of political leaders in government offices and project sites in Kerala and continuing telecast of government advertisements on television channels would have to stop. He had heard complaints in those respects during the discussions he had with political parties on Thursday. Employees unions affiliated to political parties had put up photos of political leaders on government office premises. The Commission had asked them to remove the pictures. Hoardings put up by government in connection with its programmes should also be removed.
The Commissioner also said pre-contracted government advertisements appearing on television channels would have to be stopped unless they were of urgent nature and lacking in political colour. There were complaints about some appointments made to the seven new public sector units in Kerala after the code came into effect. New appointments would require the clearance of the Commission. However, it intended to stop only those appointments that interfere with the elections. Ongoing work on government projects could continue while only those that had not been started yet would be put on hold.
Dr. Quraishi said that webcasting on Internet would be used to monitor polling in booths in remote areas besides video recordings. Voters could register complaints by calling a toll-free telephone number set up by the Commission (1965). The process for registration of overseas Indians as voters had been simplified and 7,120 NRIs had registered as voters in Kerala till Wednesday. Most of them had filed their applications directly with the electoral registration officer concerned.
Expenditure
He announced that the expenditure observers would be in place by Saturday to watch compliance with the new guidelines issued by the Commission regarding election expenses. The candidates were to maintain separate bank accounts for election expenditure and the banks would set up special counters to disburse money to the candidates so that the electioneering would not be affected. Election officials would maintain shadow accounts to prevent under-reporting of expenses. The general observers would reach the constituencies only next week.
He said that the proposals for electoral reforms were under consideration of the government. The Commission had organised six regional consultations regarding reforms.
Election Commissioners V.S. Sampath and H.S. Brahma were also present at the press conference.
