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Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) OP Rawat Wednesday, 29 August, cleared doubts about the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections and announced that the polls will be held on time.
Rawat, accompanied by Election Commissioners Sunil Arora and Ashok Lavasa, was on a 2-day visit to Madhya Pradesh to review preparations for the upcoming elections. They also addressed a press conference in Bhopal on Wednesday attended by representatives of political parties, bureaucrats and senior police officers.
The Chief Election Commissioner also reiterated that 'One nation, one poll' was not possible until changes are made in the Constitution and law, ANI reported.
While no clarity was given on the date of the elections, the CEC said that the commission will take into account festivals falling in November while deciding the schedule, The New Indian Express reported.
The CEC told reporters in Bhopal that he had asked government officers to remain impartial during the elections.
Rawat, while responding to a query on alleged participation of government officers in chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra, said that even the slightest partisan behavior would be stringently dealt with, News18 reported.
The coming Assembly elections in four states will also witness a disabled-friendly set-up at polling stations and use of a mobile application to report electoral malpractises. Rawat said 'accessibility observers' would help differently-abled voters during elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram.
The Election Commission has laid a special emphasis on making the poll process accessible for all sections, especially the persons with disabilities, those who are aged or infirm, he said.
At least one polling station managed only by women will be set up in all 230 constituencies in the state, The Indian Express reported.
The CEC also said that a Citizen Vigilance App will be operationalised to ensure free and fair elections.
Through the app, anybody can report a violation of model code of conduct or a corrupt electoral practice by a candidate by uploading a video clip of the act, he explained.
Complaints received through the app will be attended promptly, Rawat added.
"We have directed the concerned officers to look into it seriously," Rawat added.
The Chief Election Commissioner also rubbished rumours that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) being imported from China and Japan.
(Inputs from The New Indian Express, News18, ANI and PTI)
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