New Delhi , Oct 30 Top Election Commission officials led by a senior deputy election commissioner will review poll preparations in Uttar Pradesh in phases with a visit to Meerut on November 2.
Assembly elections are due in UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa “early next year”.
During their visit to Meerut, the EC officials will review the preparedness of grassroots machinery of some West UP divisions.
While poll authority officials have concluded review visits to Uttarakhand, Manipur and Punjab, a tour of Goa is being worked out.
While ordering special summary revision in 17 states recently, EC had noted that assembly polls in the five states could be held “early next year”.
Usually, the “full Commission” comprising the chief election commissioner (CEC) and fellow commissioners visits poll-bound states in the end ahead of the announcement of the election schedule.
While the term of the 403-member UP assembly ends on May 22 next year, the terms of 60-member Manipur, 40-member Goa, 117-member Punjab and 70-member Uttarakhand assembly end on different dates in March, 2027.
Provisions of The Representation of the People Act, 1950 allow the EC to hold polls “earlier than six months before the term expires”.
As part of poll preparation, UP and Goa have initiated ‘first-level checks’ (FLCs) on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and paper trail units to be used in polling.
During FLCs, electronic voting machines and paper trail machines are checked for mechanical flaws by engineers of Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), the two PSUs that manufacture the two pieces of equipment.
Faulty machines are returned to the manufacturers for repair or replacement.
A mock poll is also held to check the two machines in the presence of representatives of political parties.
The FLCs are an important part of poll preparedness.
EC issues a calendar which the states have to follow and these checks are part of the schedule.
During FLC, any data from previous elections remaining on the Control Units and Ballot Units is completely cleared.
Once a unit passes all diagnostic tests, it is marked as “FLC OK” and sealed with a specialised pink paper seal to prevent any unauthorised access before the next stages of election preparation.
At least one ballot unit, one control unit and one paper trail machine make up an EVM.
(PTI News)
