Focus on welfare of polling parties: DEO Pravin Kumar

Tirupati: Collector and District Election Officer (DEO) Pravin Kumar said the welfare of the polling party has to be looked after with responsibility. Addressing returning officers, AROs, sector officers and booth level officers (BLOs) at a review meeting through video conference on Thursday, he said the BLOs have to provide food and accommodation facilities to the polling party comprising of six members and to micro observer from May 12 afternoon to till the polling is completed on May 13.

The Collector said the role of sector officers and root mobile teams is very crucial in conducting the polls smoothly. Sector officer will act as a liaison officer between the returning officer and BLO. They should visit polling stations once again and confirm that all facilities are in place. There should be no dearth of basic amenities at all polling stations. Wheelchairs, voter assistance desk, toilets, drinking water, shade etc., are to be provided, which should be checked by BLOs and certified by sector officers.

The DEO asked ROs to convene a virtual meeting with presiding officers, BLOs and sector officers and educate them on the polling day management system (PDMS) as everything should be reported on the day of polling in accordance to that. He said the sector officers are eyes and ears to the District Election Officer and they should visit every polling station in their purview once every two hours. Any problems noticed by them should be reported to the ROs immediately.

Pravin Kumar said that foolproof arrangements are to be made at poll material distribution centres. Presiding officer along with the teams concerned should go to the polling centre in the bus allotted to them. Sector officers and the root mobile team should follow them. All polling centres will be monitored from the district headquarters through webcasting.

SP Krishna Kanth Patel said that 46 root mobile teams were set up and the police personnel at all levels will be available in sufficient numbers. Security will be provided to prevent any untoward incident. Joint Collector HM Dhyana Chandra, Corporation Commissioner Adithi Singh, additional SP J Venkata Rao, nodal officers and others attended the meeting.