By IANS,
Bhubaneswar, March 20 (IANS) Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami, who was here Friday to review Orissa’s poll preparedness, said all high-profile candidates contesting the elections would be closely monitored.
“Our standing instructions are � people with criminal records must be tracked. Any high-profile candidate will be tracked,” Gopalaswami told reporters.
The three-member Election Commission team led by Gopalaswami held discussions with representatives of various political parties and state election officials earlier in the day.
The chief election commissioner said one of the complaints that the team received from political parties was about hoardings and posters of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at places not permitted under the poll panel’s model code of conduct.
“We have asked that they be removed except from places where they are permitted,” Gopalaswami said.
He said that the Election Commission has agreed to the demands by most political parties for adequate security in Maoist-hit areas and also for helicopters, satellite phones and Very High Frequency (VHF) communications system facilities in hilly areas.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram earlier Friday reviewed the security arrangements for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls. He stressed that the state government should take adequate measures to check Maoist insurgency and communal conflict.
“It is the duty of the state government to maintain law and order in Kandhamal and other Naxalite affected areas,” Chidambaram told reporters before leaving for Bangalore.
Orissa will go to polls in two phases on April 16 and April 23.