Argus News - ECI’s focus on four ‘M’ to ensure free and fair polls

New Delhi, Mar 16:  Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, while announcing the dates for 18th Lok Sabha elections, said that there is an elaborate security arrangement, which includes not just the security of polling personnel, voting stations and materials, but also the overall safety of the election process.

For peaceful elections, this time the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ensured that the security agencies deal effectively with four ‘M’ -- Muscle, Money, and Misinformation and the violation of Model code of conduct (MCC). 

Elaborating on the ‘Muscle’, the CEC said that Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are deployed to supplement the local police force in ensuring a peaceful and conducive atmosphere for the smooth conduct of elections in a free, fair and credible manner.

Based on the assessment of the ground situation, CAPFs and State Armed Police (SAP) drawn from other States will be deployed during the election.

“The CAPFs shall be deployed well in advance for area domination, route marches in vulnerable pockets, point patrolling and other confidence-building measures to reassure and build faith in the minds of the voters, especially those belonging to the weaker sections, minorities etc,” said Kumar.

The CAPFs/SAP shall also be deployed in Expenditure Sensitive Constituencies and other vulnerable areas and critical polling stations as per the assessment of ground realities by the CEOs of all States/UTs in consultation with various stakeholders.

“Besides, these forces will secure the strong rooms where EVMs and VVPATs are stored and for securing the counting centres and for other purposes, as required,” said Kumar.

To ensure optimum and effective utilisation of State Police Officials and CAPFs, the ECI has also directed to constitute a committee of CEO, State Police Nodal Officer (SPNO) and State CAPF Coordinator to jointly decide the State Deployment Plan and to ensure the randomisation of state police.

“Control room and Complaint Monitoring Centre with 24 hours toll-free numbers shall be operative during the entire election process and in every district which will be headed by a senior police official,” said the CEC, while elaborating the plan to deal with misinformation.

“Social media will be monitored and strict action will be taken against rumour-mongering,” said the CEC.