Chief Secretary Smt. Radha Raturi reviewed the preparations related to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections

Chief Secretary Smt Radha Raturi reviewed the preparations related to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Secretariat on Tuesday.

In view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Chief Secretary Smt. Radha Raturi has directed the education and related departments to ensure the provision of drinking water and toilets, electricity, adequate furniture, sheds for voters and ramps, wheel chairs etc. for the voters with disabilities and elderly voters at all 11729 polling stations in the state.

Keeping in mind the health related problems of the personnel engaged in election duty and the challenges of emergency medical treatment, the Chief Secretary has given instructions to ensure the arrangement of an air ambulance, cashless treatment, availability of medical kits . She said that this time we have to work with the vision of casualty free elections 2024. The Chief Secretary gave instructions to get health screening of all election personnel done and seek guidance in this regard through the district level medical committee.

Giving special instructions to the Excise Department, Chief Secretary Smt. Radha Raturi asked them to conduct a joint operation of police and excise department to completely stop hoarding and smuggling of illegal liquor, and to monitor liquor production units, warehouses and licensed shops through CCTV. Instructions have been given to establish check posts and control rooms on inter-state borders. She has also given instructions to ensure monitoring of all check posts through CCTV.

The Chief Secretary has instructed all the departments to appoint election nodal officers in their departments at the state level, district level and block level. The Chief Secretary has given instructions that all government employees, personnel engaged in election duty, police personnel should be motivated and encouraged to vote through postal ballot or EDC. It was informed in the meeting that there are a total of 229187 voters in the state, including 189000 government personnel, 5700 Home Guards, 9487 PRD personnel and about 25000 UPNL personnel. If 100 percent employees use their vote then the voting percentage will increase by 2.78 percent. The Chief Secretary has instructed all departments and offices to administer the oath of voting to 100 percent of their employees.

The Chief Secretary has instructed Secretary Sainik Kalyan to update the list of service voters in all the districts and ensure 100 percent voting of service voters. The Chief Secretary has also instructed the Labor Department to seek the cooperation of the owners of factories and commercial establishments to ensure voting of all workers and employees working in commercial establishments.

Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, L. Fanai, ADG A.P. Anshuman, Chief Electoral Officer Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam and officials of various related departments were present in the meeting.