By IANS,
New Delhi : Gearing up for the general elections, the three-member Election Commission Tuesday met a home ministry delegation led by secretary Madhukar Gupta to review the security requirements and other logistics for conducting the polls.
“The meeting was essentially to review poll preparedness and how security personnel would be deployed during the elections that will be held in April-May,” said an Election Commission official.
At the meeting that lasted for over half-an-hour, home ministry officials gave their views on the election schedule and phasing of polls, including the requirement of helicopters, speed boats and satellite phones.
The Election Commission has held a series of meetings with leaders of political parties, Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), chief secretaries and Directors General of Police of all states and union territories earlier this month.
While ascertaining poll preparedness, the commission has ordered immediate transfer of all officials posted at one place for over three years and asked for a compliance report by the end of the month so as to ensure free and fair elections.
The commission has also directed the CEOs to enlist the support of booth level agents of political parties for updating electoral rolls and to prepare and distribute electoral photo identity cards (EPIC) ahead of the polls.