By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 20 Feb: Chief Secretary Radha Raturi reviewed the preparations related to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections at the Secretariat, here, on Tuesday.
In view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Raturi directed the education and related departments to ensure provision of drinking water and toilets, electricity, adequate furniture, sheds for voters and ramps, wheel chairs, etc., for the voters with disabilities and elderly voters at all 11,729 polling stations in the state.
Keeping in mind the health related problems of the personnel engaged in election duty and the challenges of emergency medical treatment, the Chief Secretary has given instructions to ensure the arrangement of an air ambulance, cashless treatment, availability of medical kits. She said that, this time, the state would work with the vision of casualty free elections in 2024. The Chief Secretary gave instructions to get health screening of all election personnel done and seek guidance in this regard from the district level medical committee.
Giving special instructions to the Excise Department, Raturi asked it to conduct joint operations with the police to completely stop hoarding and smuggling of illegal liquor, and to monitor liquor production units, warehouses and licensed shops through CCTV. Instructions have been given to establish check posts and control rooms on inter-state borders. She has also given instructions to ensure monitoring of all check posts through CCTV.
The Chief Secretary instructed all the departments to appoint election nodal officers at the state, district and block levels. All government employees, personnel engaged in election duty, police personnel should be motivated and encouraged to vote through postal ballot or EDC. It was stated at the meeting that there are a total of 2,29,187 voters in the state, including 1,89,000 government personnel, 5,700 Home Guards, 9,487 PRD personnel and about 25,000 UPNL personnel. If 100 percent employees exercise their vote, the voting percentage would increase by 2.78 percent. The Chief Secretary has instructed all departments and offices to administer the oath of voting to 100 percent of their employees.
The Chief Secretary also directed the Secretary, Sainik Kalyan, to update the list of service voters in all the districts and ensure 100 percent voting by them. Similarly, the Labour Department was asked to ensure the owners of factories and commercial establishments allow and motivate workers and employees to vote.
Principal Secretaries RK Sudhanshu, L Fanai, ADG AP Anshuman, Chief Electoral Officer Dr BVRC Purushottam and officials of various related departments were present at the meeting.
