In a bid to ensure smooth conduct of upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 in the district, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Baramulla, Minga Sherpa, who is also District Election Officer today held a comprehensive meeting of concerned officers to review the preparations. During the meeting, various aspects related to the seamless conduct of the elections including electoral roll process, assessing logistical requirements, transportation of EVMs and polling staff, ensuring security arrangements, media management, comprehensive training program for AROs, AEROs and appointed nodal officers were discussed comprehensively.
Speaking during the meeting, the DC emphasized the importance of effective coordination among all stakeholders to ensure conduct of smooth, fair and inclusive electoral process and uphold the integrity of the democratic exercise. The DC directed the AROs and AEROs to conduct special drives in all constituencies to identify any left out Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and persons in 80+ age group and ensure they are properly mapped to their designated polling stations in a week's time so that they will be provided voting from home option during the election.
Meanwhile, the DC directed the nodal officers, EROs, AEROs to conduct physical verification of every polling station to make certain the availability of all basic facilities to ensure that no polling staff, voters and security personnel face any kind of difficulty during elections. He further instructed AROs to identify the camping places for the security personnel deployed for the election duties after consultation with police department to ensure the availability of basic facilities like washrooms, proper hygiene and sanitation are in place.
Additionally, the DC directed the DIO Baramulla to set up a media control room and ascertain both print media and the electronic media in the district upholds to the basic ECI guidelines while providing coverage during the election time. Meanwhile, the ADDC was entrusted with the preparation of the comprehensive training schedule for appointed police nodal officers, AERO and other nodal officers from district administration to sensitize them on every aspect of the election process.
The meeting was attended by Additional District Development Commissioner Baramulla, Syed Qamar Sajad; Additional Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Dr. Zahoor Ahmad Raina; Additional Deputy Commissioner Sopore, Shabir Ahmad Raina; SDM Uri, Gulmarg and Pattan and all the nodal officers responsible for the conduct of Lok Sabha election in the district.