CEC Zaidi in UT from today to assess pre-poll situation
CHANDIGARH: Assessing the conditions for ensuring freeand-fair polls in Punjab will be the main concern of chief election commissioner (CEC) Naseem Zaidi, who, along with election commissioners, arrives in Chandigarh on Sunday on a three-day visit.
During his visit, Zaidi will meet representatives of all political parties to assess the ground situation ahead of the polls expected to take place in January next year. He will also meet deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police.
Chief electoral officer VK Singh and additional director general of police VK Bhawra, the nodal officer attached with the elections commission for the polls, will give a presentation to the CEC on the ground situation.
“Law and order is an important issue and it is duty of the police to streamline things,” said VK Singh. He said political parties will raise their concerns with the CEC, who in-turn will work out a strategy for peaceful polls.
“I think law and order and drugs are going to be major issues during the polls, and we will demand that the entire polls be held under the supervision of paramilitary forces,” said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab coconvener Jarnail Singh. He said they will demand enforcing of code of code at the earliest.
The Congress, too, is learnt to have taken a decision to rake up poor law and order and flow of drugs with the CEC.
“We will also demand steps to ensure that electronic voting machines are not tampered with,” said Captain Sandeep Sandhu, general secretary of Punjab Congress.