State Ministers cannot hold review meetings on cyclone Gaja relief works in Tiruvarur, which is set for an assembly bypoll on January 28. However, the State Government can execute the distribution of all already announced relief packages to the victims, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo told DT Next in an interview.
Satyabrata Sahoo, Chief Electoral Officer
Chennai:
Q: There are petitions filed seeking postponement of Tiruvarur bypoll in the Madras High Court
CEO: The regular practice and precedence is that once when the poll schedule is announced by the Election Commission of India, there is no looking back. In my view the election process had to be completed as per the ECI schedule. In case, if there are any specific orders from the court the same will be adhered. In most of the cases the courts do not intervene in the election commission’s poll schedule.
Q: How prepared is the state public elections department for Tiruvarur bypoll. A few political parties in the state have complained that Tiruvarur is hit by cyclone Gaja
CEO: The district election machinery is ready with EVM machines and 303 polling stations are ready. All steps had been taken to ensure a free and fair poll. The voters should come forward to exercise their franchise. The constituency has 2,58,687 electorate including 1,31,169 women voters.
Q: The ECI had admitted the distribution of cash for votes in RK Nagar and rescinded the bypoll, now can Tiruvarur expect a fool proof model code of conduct
CEO: The elections are conducted as per the standard operating procedures, where a series of observers and surveillance teams are put in place for fair polls. Income tax department and central agencies will be roped in to strengthen the surveillance on cash movement in the entire poll bound district.
Q: Ministers are usually accused of mixing politics and campaign
CEO: The district election officer has been briefed about the model code being in force. Any serious violation will be dealt. Ministers cannot mix campaign and politics. Vehicles entering Tiruvarur without valid permits will be seized.
Q: State has announced cash relief and special packages for farmers and public hit by Gaja, can the distribution continue?
CEO: There is no bar on executing announcements already made, but if there are any complaints from political parties citing model code violation those complaints will be attended to. Any addition to the already passed government orders will not be entertained during the poll code.
Q: The ECI has announced bypoll only to Tiruvarur, what about the other 19 vacant seats?
CEO: ECI is aware of the legal issues pertaining to the vacant seats. There are regular review meetings conducted in this regard and we are waiting for further orders from ECI.
Q: What is the update with demographically similar entries based on software?
CEO: The ERONET software is designed to throw the demographically similar data, where voters with same names with similar spouse name and their ages match. There are also look alike pictures. All these are scrutinised. For instance, Tamil Nadu has thousands of Subramani with their wives named as Valli coming under same age group. All these are verified through booth level staff for error free voters roll. Voters having entry in more than one constituency can also be tracked and removed using the software. A record number of 2 crore voter sample in TN is under examination.