All districts should pay attention to increasing poll percentage

Bhopal: Deputy Election Commissioner of India Dr. Alok Shukla and Director General Shri Akshay Raut have asked all divisional commissioners and district collectors to pay attention to increasing poll percentage during ensuing Vidhan Sabha elections in the state. They were holding discussions through video-conferencing at Chief Electoral Office with divisional commissioners and district collectors here today. Chief Electoral Officer Shri Jaideep Govind and commission’s Director Shri Dhirendra Ojha were also present on the occasion.
Office-bearers of the Election Commission asked collectors to identify low turnout polling booths and find out reasons behind low turnout in last election there. Shri Akshay Raut directed to pay more attention to SVEEP Plan activities in such areas. He said that such communities and classes should also be identified who do not exercise their franchise. They should be counselled to cast their votes. Shri Raut directed divisional commissioners and district collectors to constitute district SVEEP Plan committees and MSMC for keeping a watch over paid news. He asked collectors to make District Panchayat CEO chairman of SVEEP Plan committee. Its nodal officer should be appointed Member-Secretary. All districts should send their SVEEP plans to the Chief Election Commissioner by July 10.
Shri Raut expressed happiness that names of over 1 crore voters have been included in electoral rolls in Madhya Pradesh during last year. He said that minimum 15 per cent increase in poll percentage should be ensured in every district.
Dr. Alok Shukla said that EPIC number must be used by service centre at the time of filling up postal ballots. EPIC cards of those employees should also be prepared who have reached a district after transfer. He also directed to motivate urban voters for increasing poll percentage. Dr. Shukla suggested to collectors that the vehicles (bus), which take polling staff to polling booths on the day of voting and parked there idly should be used for bringing voters to polling booths. Bur prescribed fees should be charged for this from voters.
At video-conferencing, information was sought from district officers regarding progress of issuance of voter ID cards, summary review of electoral rolls, EPIC ratio, gender ratio etc. Other officers of Chief Electoral Office were also present on the occasion.