The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday started distribution and dispatch of designated ballot boxes, ballot papers, special pens, and other sealed election materials to the State Legislative Assembly Secretariats, including the National Capital Territory of Delhi and UT of Puducherry for the conduct of Presidential Election scheduled on July 18.
This two-day exercise at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi for dispatch of election materials to states/UTs in a time-bound and secured manner is being undertaken under the supervision of chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar and election commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, ECI stated in a release.
The commission mandates the collection of the materials from the ECI Headquarters at Delhi by assistant returning officers, including one senior officer from the office of the chief electoral officer, it stated.
It stated that once they reach Delhi, officials are also assisted at the help desk at the Delhi Airport manned by the officials of the Election Commission of India, Civil Aviation, Delhi Police, and CISF. Ballot boxes along with other essential election materials are handed over to the AROs under appropriate security and safety measures after complete inspection at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, it mentioned. Delhi Police teams escort the assistant returning officers while they come to collect the election material, it added.
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The assistant returning officers return to their respective States/UTs on the same day as the collection of the election materials. During the transportation, the Ballot Boxes fly on a separate air ticket in the front row of aircrafts beside the seat of the officer transporting the materials under personal supervision, ECI stated.
Once the officers with ballot boxes reach the state capitals, these are stored in previously sanitised and properly sealed strong rooms under strict Videography monitoring, it mentioned.
Ballot papers for Presidential Election are also stored and sealed along with, it further stated, adding, after the poll is over, the polled and sealed Ballot boxes and other election material have to be transported back to the office of returning officer that is Rajya Sabha Secretariat by the next available flight.
The boxes and other documents are carried personally in the aircraft cabins- never out of sight of accompanying officers, it mentioned.
The commission has appointed 37 observers for overseeing the arrangements of polling and counting during elections and a briefing meeting of these Observers was also organised on Monday, it stated.
The observers are senior IAS Officers of the rank of Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary, Government of India. The Commission has deployed one Observer for overseeing polling at each of the 30 places of poll in the State/UT Legislative Assemblies and two observers for Parliament House, ECI stated.
The designated observers will take stock of election arrangements made for security and transportation of ballot boxes and election material by the ROs and AROs and ensure free and fair elections, it mentioned. The observers deputed at Parliament House will also oversee the counting process of votes on July 21, it added.
