Chief Electoral Officer V Shashank Shekhar, IAS, held a meeting on 9 January with representatives from various political parties for the visit by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to Nagaland and the forthcoming general election.
According to a DIPR report, the meeting was held at the CEO’s Office Chamber in Kohima.
Briefing on the ECI’s visit, the CEO informed that the Commission will be visiting the state from 13 to 15 January to meet all the recognised political parties and would be interacting with the senior officers of the state government including the chief secretary and the DGP and also reviewing the poll preparedness with all the DCs, SPs, and the enforcement agencies of both state and central.
Shekhar also mentioned that the state level training and many preparations have been going on for the last couple of months and the Commission has deployed 50 CAPF Companies in advance with some more to arrive shortly.
He expressed his hope that the citizens will provide all information to the various state and central government and enforcement agencies to ensure a free and fair poll.
He asserted that the election must be conducted like a festive atmosphere and appealed to everyone to come together for a free and fair election with no violence and no occurrence of re-poll.
On Monday, Shekhar along with officers of the CEO’s Office also held a meeting of the State Steering Committee on Accessible Election (SSCAE) at the CEO’s Office.
According to a DIPR report, the meeting was held to deliberate issues on accessible elections with regard to the forthcoming general election to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, 2023.
CEO V Shashank Shekhar along with officers of the CEO’s office and members of the SSCAE at his office on 9 January. (Credit: DIPR)
The Steering Committee was chaired by CEO Shekhar.
In the meeting, some of the important issues discussed were PwD mapping and enrolment of voters, free transportation, polling station infrastructures (like location of the polling station on the ground floor/providing ramps/wheelchairs/volunteers for PwDs and senior citizens on the polling day), preparation of pictorial representation through posters and videos and sign language interpreters, appointment of Accessible Observers, IT infrastructure and accessible communication, training and sensitization of polling personnel for facilitation of PwDs and senior citizens, coordination and partnership with CSOs/NGOs, home voting facilities and helpline facilities for PwDs and senior citizens.
The SSCAE Members who attended the meeting were Dr E Motsuthung Patton, Additional Director, Health & Family Welfare; Diethono Nakhro, State Commissioner for PwDs; Dr Nitovi Shikhu, Deputy Director, Health & Family Welfare,; Temsunaro Aier, Mission Director, Samagra Shiksha, School Education; Dr Chumbeni Kikon, Joint Mission Director, Samagra Shiksha, School Education; Lanusenla Lemtur, Coordinator, Samagra Shiksha; Tongpang L Jamir, Nagaland Parents Association for Disabled; and Venedulu Vero, Research Officer, Social Welfare.
