EC asks Observers to have ‘zero-tolerance’ for money, muscle power

Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra has asked the poll  Observers to have zero-tolerance towards abuse of money power or any kind of inducements. Addressing the official breifing of Observers, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra further asked Expenditure Observers to sharpen their skills and be innovative in countering newer methods of inducement. He asked Observers to ensure proper publicity of cVIGIL App to empower citizens to report cases of violation to ensure prompt action by Flying Squads, Surveillance teams. He asked the Observers to visit more and more Polling Booths to check for Assured Minimum Facilities to facilitate senior citizens, Persons with Disabilities and women voters. Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told observers that that they would always be under strict microscopic scrutiny by various stakeholders and thus should be careful and discreet about their own personal behavior and conduct during the election process.

More than 1400 Observers attended the brifing  Apart from IAS and IPS these Observers belong to different services. They will be  deployed for the forthcoming Assembly polls in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The CEC said all the three Observers (General, Police and Expenditure) should work in coordination with Enforcement Agencies., Observers during elections are the eyes and ears of the Election Commission of India.,Chandra said.