Punjab Post Daily Online Newspaper & Print Media
Kapurthala, February 7 (Punjab Post Bureau) – Election Observers for Municipal Corporation Kapurthala and 
Municipal Council Sultanpur Lodhi elections today asked the returning officers (ROs) to ensure free, fair, and independent polls in the district.
Presiding over a meeting with the ROs at the District Administrative Complex today, the General Observer Vinay Bublani, Police Observer SK Kalia, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Deepti Uppal, said that the ROs are the backbone of the elections, who have a great responsibility on their shoulders for smooth holding of the elections.
The observers said that right from the training of the polling staff to the finalizing arrangements for the polling day, the entire work should be done in a systematic and fool proof manner. The General Observer further said that the Model Code of Conduct must be enforced zealously as it is the very basis of neutral and transparent polls. They also said ROs to ensure they visit all 96 polling booths where elections for 62 yards were going to be held.
They told that sufficient security should be made at the 46 sensitive polling stations as a part of the confidence-building measure.
Taking part in deliberations Deputy Commissioner Deepti Uppal and Additional Deputy Commissioner SP Angra assured the Observers that the administration was duty-bound to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections.
They said that the administration has well-oiled machinery which was already on task of completing this democratic process in a successful manner. They further asked the ROs and their Police counterparts to have frequent meetings for better synchronization of their efforts. They apprised the observers about the spots being taken by the district administration to implement the commission’s guidelines especially the model code of conduct. They further added complaint centre was operationalise to register the election related complaints at DAC complex.
Both the election observers also interacted with the representatives of the political parties and asked them to strictly adhere to the moral code of conduct and commission’s guidelines. They said that the violation of model code of conduct would be unwarranted and strict action would be taken against the erring persons. They listened to the suggestions and grievances of the political parties and directed the deputy commissioner to resolve the issues in time-bound manner. Further they asked the representatives to submit their grievances in writing to the district administration so that timely action could be initiated.
Notably, as many as 49 wards in Municipal Corporation Kapurthala and 13 wards in Municipal council Sultanpur Lodhi having elections. A total of 93245 voters including 48232 males and 44996 females would decide the fate of 238 candidates contesting in both the elections. The elections will take place in 96 polling booths that include 46 sensitive and 50 non sensitive booths.
Prominent among present occasion included ADC Rahul Chaba, SP Jasvir Singh, SDM Varinder Singh Bajwa and others.
