Bhadrak: After a host of complaints of code violation was received amid an intensified campaigning for the bypoll to Dhamnagar Assembly constituency in Bhadrak, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Kumar Lohani Friday held a review meeting on poll preparation. He also assessed the complaints received against various political parties regarding violation of the model code of conduct.
The meeting was held at the Sadbhabana Hall at the Collectorate in the presence of Collector Sidheswar Baliram Bonder, additional chief electoral officer Shatrughna Kar, Eastern Range IG Himanshu Lal, SP Charan Singh Meena, Additional Collector Ramdas Tudu and other officials. They discussed issues related to poll management, preparedness, law and order, action on poll code violators, threat and bribe to voters, inducement, police deployment, sending of polling parties to booths and surveillance squads. The CEO directed the district electoral officer to take action against people found violating the model code of conduct.
Lohani also informed about ‘cVIGIL’, an online application for citizens to report any violation in model code of conduct/expenditure during the election period. “All the reported complaints will be taken care of within a minimal time span of 100 minutes by the commission,” he said. “Model code of conduct is a guiding principle for political parties and candidates and needs to be followed meticulously. All parties need to avoid corrupt practices,” he further added.