A three-member team of special observers reached Meghalaya to take stock of the situation ahead of the Assembly polls scheduled to be held on February 27.
The team members are general observer Yogendra Tripathy, police observer Vivek Johri and expenditure observer B. Murali Kumar.
During a review meeting held today with deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and nodal officers’ election expenditure management in all the 12 districts of the state, Tripathy impressed on the election machineries to ensured a level playing field for all political parties, Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Roy Kharkongor said.
The special observer also instructed strict adherence to Election Commission timelines in respect of various critical activities of the electoral cycle.
Kharkongor also informed that the special observers also reviewed arrangements pertaining to logistics and Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) besides law and order arrangements and active deployment of CAPF with a view to instil confidence in the hearts and minds of the voters.
On the expenditure side, the special observer stressed on requirement for proper coordination amongst various enforcement agencies, activize the number of flying and static surveillance teams deployed, generate enhanced awareness of C-Vigil and toll free number, coordination mechanism with BSF in international border.
He also stressed on equipping FST vehicles with GPS tracking and all LBMs to ensure that all banks are to submit daily reports on suspicious transactions to DEO and Income Tax, etc.
Yesterday, the special observers held a detailed review with the CEO, the State Police Nodal Officer in the presence of the Chief Secretary and the DGP. This was followed by a State level review meeting on aspects related to Election Expenditure Monitoring of both Central and State enforcement agencies who were represented by their respective Nodal Officers comprising of agencies such as Income Tax, CGST, ED, NCB, DRI, CBIC, SLBC, RBI, Airport Director and State Police, Excise, Forest, and State GST Commissioners.
