Chandigarh, February 16
With Punjab Assembly Elections 2022 are around the corner, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju on Wednesday held a virtual meeting with all the Returning Officers (ROs) of the state to review the checklist for Polling Stations and Dispatch Centre.
During the meeting, Dr S Karuna Raju directed all the officers to ensure that appropriate arrangements be made at each polling station, as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India.
CEO directed officials to ensure all the COVID-19 material including Mask, Gloves, PPE, Soaps, Thermometer, Sanitizer etc are available at every polling station and there should be COVID dustbins placed at booths. He also asked ROs to ensure that web cameras are working in all the polling booths.
He asked ROs to identify 5-10 volunteers for facilitating PwDs and elderly people at the Polling booths. He asked them to install selfie points and Muscat Shera at all the Polling booths.
Dr Raju also directed ROs to give a warm welcome to Young voters, who are casting their vote for the first time by giving them certificates or flowers. He asked to ensure pick and drop facilitiy to Elderly and PwD voters.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer also instructed to use eco-friendly material such as paper glass, paper plates and eco-friendly plastic flexes etc. during the ensuing Vidhan Sabha Polls as per directions of Election Commission of India and Kerala high court’s decision.
He also ordered to use good quality public address system during disbursal of poll parties and collection of polled EVMs and give utmost hustle free environment to women staff.
Dr S Karuna Raju asked ROs to take Special care of Women staff and provide them drop facilitiy in case they gets free in late evening.
He asked the officials that the names of all the polling stations and booths should be clearly readable and ensure the cleanliness in the toilets besides providing safe drinking water to the electors.
CEO asked the officials to send activity pictures and videos of polling day to the office of Chief Electoral Office.
Giving instructions on Dispatch Centres, Dr Raju asked ROs to make sure that there are separate counters, proper lighting, drinking water/refreshment facilities, safe parking of vehicles of polling staff, and temporary toilets are present at the Dispatch Centres. He also asked them to ensure all the EVM carrying vehicles are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS).
Meanwhile, Additional CEO DPS Kharbanda and Additional CEO Amit Kumar also attended the meeting.
