ECI reviewed poll preparedness, issued necessary directions

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has reviewed the poll preparedness of Tripura in a meeting held at Sukumar Sen Hall of the Commission in New Delhi.

And to oversee the entire poll preparedness, several teams of the ECI will start visiting the state starting from December 20th over a two-month period.

Official sources said that during the review meeting held on December 14, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar chaired the meeting in presence of the Election Commissioner Arun Goel, the Senior Deputy Chief Election Commissioner, Nitesh Vyas and other high Officials in presence of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Tripura, Kiran Gitte, additional CEO Usa Jen Mog and Subhasis Bandopadhayay.

During the meeting CEO, Tripura, Kiran Gitte has said that there are 27,33,891 voters in the state as per Draft Electoral Roll published on November 9th, 2022 last and out of them 13,80,181 are male voters and 13,53,664 are female voters and 46 are third genders. Total number of polling stations in Tripura is 3,328. The Elector Population Ratio of Tripura is 655, while gender Ratio is 981. During General Elections, the 2018 percentage of vote casting was 89.38%.

After reviewing poll preparedness for ensuing assembly elections, the CEC directed the officials of Tripura to focus on four vital points including voter list of the state to be healthy, inclusive and error free.

 Artificial intelligence to be used for identification of Photo Similar Entries, demographically similar entries and information should be shared with all Electoral Registration Officers to resolve the issue and Commission has also stressed that all new voters of 18-19 age shall be included in the voter list before January 5th, 2023 next.

The Commission also said that the instructions issued by ECI to be followed strictly for handling of EVMs and VVPATs and sufficient and quality training to be imparted to the polling personnel for proper handling of EVMs and VVPATs.

The ECI also has given maximum emphasized that there should not be any violence during the poll period and all preventive measures to be taken to conduct free and fair election.

Finally, the ECI has also asked the state officials that all the marginalized groups such as Bru-migrants, persons with disability, third gender, women voters and 80 years plus voters should be facilitated properly.