Election Commission mandates minimum facilities at polling stations in state

Pune: Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued stringent directives to election officials in Maharashtra to ensure assured minimum facilities at all polling stations for the upcoming assembly polls.Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar discussed electoral preparedness with state chief secretary Sujata Saunik at a high-level review meeting in Mumbai on Friday. The meeting was attended by election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu, and other top govt officials.With over 1 lakh polling stations and 9.5 crore registered voters in Maharashtra, the ECI has emphasised the importance of voter convenience. An ECI source present at the meeting told TOI, "The commission has made it clear that strict action will be taken against any complaints of voter inconvenience on poll day."The directive comes in response to numerous complaints from voters in metropolitan areas, including Mumbai city, Pune, Thane, and Nagpur during the recent Lok Sabha elections.Officials have been instructed to ensure all assured minimum facilities such as benches, fans, drinking water, and sheds at polling booths.The ECI also stressed on proper queue management. These issues will be discussed at an online meeting with divisional commissioners and district collectors on Saturday, the official added.Additionally, the CEC called for heightened vigilance against distribution of inducements, citing low seizures reported during the Lok Sabha elections. "The CEC in the meeting conveyed zero tolerance towards distribution of any kind of inducements in the forthcoming assembly elections," the official added.Kumar also told excise officials to stop the flow of illicit liquor into the state from neighbouring areas ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. The CEC also told the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to maintain a strict vigil on the interstate movement of drugs and wondered how narcotics was still available.Late in the evening, election officials also reviewed poll preparations with Pune and Konkan divisional commissioners, district election officials, all commissioners and superintendents of police in Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban, Thane, Pune, Palghar, Navi Mumbai and Thane.
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