Keep surrendered ultras under strict control: CEC

GUWAHATI, March 21: The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), M S Gill has issued instruction to the State Administration and the Police to keep all the surrendered militants under strict control during the election process, particularly on the day of the polls. He has also warned that the District Magistrates and the Police would be held responsible if anything goes wrong. Addressing a press conference here today, Gill said that the Election Commission has also issued instruction to confiscate all illegal weapons and take action against all the undesirable elements to ensure free and fair polls. He assured that the action taken on the instructions would be reviewed from time to time. He also reminded all the State and Central cadre officers that under the Representation of the Peoples Act all staff on election duty would be under the supervision, control and discipline of the Election Commission and severe action including suspension can be taken against the officers, if required. The CEC said that maximum number of security personnel would be posted in the State to ensure violence free polls. He said that he had meetings with the Chief Secretary, Home Commissioner, Director General of Police and Home Ministry officials in this regard and directed the Chief Electoral Officer of the State to send regular reports on security arrangements. However, he expressed the hope that the Commission would be able to hold free and fair polls in the State. In this context, he referred to the Lok Sabha polls in 1999 and said that the polls in Assam were more peaceful than some other States of the country and the voter turn was as high as 78 per cent. He reminded the insurgent groups that nothing can be achieved through violence and appealed to the youths to think positively. He also sought the cooperation of all concerned for conducting free and fair polls. Gill said that no senior person should be posted in their home districts during the poll process and directed the state government to shift the officers who are serving in the same place for four or more years. He said that to uphold the principle of democracy, no Government should take any major decision when the State is already in the election mode. He also requested the state government not to go for fresh recruitment when the polls are approaching and instructed the concerned officials that the teachers appointed now should not be put on election duty. The CEC said that in the last couple of days, he met representatives of the political parties, deputations and individuals and had intensive discussion to understand their viewpoints. He said that the members of the Commission would meet shortly to announce the election schedule for the State. Replying to a question on the state government's demand for holding the polls in three phases, he said that the Commission would announce its decision soon after a meeting of all the members. Gill said that he had a meeting with the representatives of the state government employees. He said that the Commission would ensure the every state government pays the compensation to the employees if any accident takes place during the polls. "I also met representatives of the teachers and they told me that the Government did not implement the agreements signed with them. But I have told them not to go for a strike during the polls as by doing so they would put pressure on the country and not on the state government. They should wait for the next Government to come to demand solution of their problems", he added. Replying to a question on the Voters Identity cards, Gill said that the cards would not be used in the State in the ensuing polls. He admitted that the work on issuing voters identity cards was not pushed forward properly in the State and "we shall take up the matter seriously after the polls". Commenting on the fate of the "D" voters, Gill said that if the voters marked as doubtful can produce evidence in front of the competent authority, their names would be taken off the list of the doubtful voters. He also said that electronic voting machines would be put into use in some constituencies of the State in the ensuing polls.