Bihar Polls: ECI Tightens Vigil to Curb Money and Freebies
EC said that expenditure observers have already been deployed to monitor the election expenses incurred by candidates
New Delhi: Enforcement agencies have seized cash, drugs, liquor and freebies worth Rs 33.97 crore from Bihar as part of efforts to prevent inducement of voters by political parties. The state goes to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11. Votes will be counted on November 14.
The Election Commission said Expenditure Observers have already been deployed to monitor the election expenses incurred by the candidates and have reached their respective constituencies on the day the notification for the two phases were issued. They will meet all the teams engaged in expenditure monitoring.
ECI officials said flying squads, surveillance teams, video surveillance teams will be vigilant round the-clock to monitor any suspected instances of money power or other inducements being used to sway the voters. The Commission has also activated the online system called Election Seizure Management System (ESMS) for reporting of interceptions/seizures made by the enforcement agencies on a real-time basis during the election period. ECI also stressed that the enforcement authorities should ensure that ordinary citizens are not be inconvenienced or harassed during the checking and inspection for the enforcement of these directives.
Meanwhile, the ECI said the visually-impaired voters in Bihar will be provided Accessible Voter Information Slips with Braille Features, along with the regular Voter Information Slips (VIS). Visually impaired persons can take a companion along with them to cast their vote on their behalf at the Polling Station.
The ballot paper pasted on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) will also be available at the polling stations in Braille. The EC said visually-impaired voters will be provided with regular as well as Braille voter information slips which have details of polling stations.
"Any visually impaired voter can use this sheet to cast his/her vote by themselves using Braille facility on ballot units of EVMs without any help from a companion," ECI said. This is not the first time the poll authority is providing ballot papers in Braille.
The EC said it has directed that there should be a proper transport facility for persons with disability at the polling station on the day of the poll. The PwD (persons with disabilities) electors can also request transport and wheelchair facility by registering on Divyang (Saksham) Module of ECINET.
