CEC to visit Punjab next week

Chandigarh, March 20, 2014: Full Election Commission of India led by Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath is expected to visit Punjab next week to review arrangements for Lok Sabha elections-2014. During the visit, the CEC would hold meetings with representatives of Political parties and state officials besides interacting with media persons. This was disclosed by Raminder Singh, Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab while interacting with media persons.
Replying a query, Singh revealed that Returning Officer, Amritsar has issued show cause notice to both District Unit Presidents of BJP and SAD for violation of model code of conduct during road show/rally of candidate Arun Jaitley besides imposing Rs. 90,000 expenditure each on both parties calculated on removing the unauthorized hoardings/banners by Municipal Corporation Amritsar
Replying another query, the Additional CEO said that the Secretary, Food & Civil Supplies has submitted the report regarding the two separate complaints of Preneet Kaur and Partap Singh Bajwa, both MPs regarding distribution of blue cards having photographs of Chief Minister after the imposition of MCC. The Secretary replied that no new cards have been distributed after 5th March and six month ration as per National Food Security Act was being distributed to existing card holders. Raminder Singh said that Commission agreeing with the report of Secretary Food & Civil Supplies has forwarded the same to Election Commission of India.
Raminder Singh said that Secretary, Social Security has replied to the allegations of distribution bicycles to school students after the imposition of MCC in district Sangrur. As per the reply, the parts of the cycles yet to be assembled were being kept in various schools in the stores and no assembled bicycles were being distributed. The Commission has ordered sealing of all stores in all districts till the election process was over and found that there was no violation of MCC. The Commission has forwarded the report of Secretary Social Security to Election Commission of India.
Giving the gist of complaints received by the Commission after announcement of elections, Raminder Singh said that till date 177 complaints have been received by the ECI out of which 117 dealt with violation of MCC whereas 60 related to other issues like transfers etc. He appealed to people not to send complaints to ECI on those issues which were not directly or indirectly related with election process. He expressed concern that certain complaints were deliberately sent to ECI to take refuge from due criminal proceedings of ongoing cases.
B. Purushartha, Additional CEO (SVEEP), speaking on occasion said that Election Commission of India has intensified its campaign to enroll new eligible voters. He said that new voters can get enrolled upto 2nd April, 2014. Purushartha said that for the first time mass SMS exercise was being initiated by ECI to motivate voters to exercise their right of franchise. He said that more than 47 lac mobile subscribers would be getting SMS messages reminding them to cast their votes freely and fairly. He said that even on the day of polling 6 to 7 reminders SMSes would be sent to every voter reminding him that it was his day to exercise his right of franchise. Purushartha said that process was already on for web casting on atleast 300 polling booths and process to sift volunteers for this massive exercise was already on. He said that every polling compartment would have a pledge in 3 different languages reminding the voter to exercise his right without fear, ill will or pressure.