EC to hold review meet of 5 poll-bound states, neigbours

To review the security and other poll arrangements ahead of Assembly elections in five states, the Election Commission will hold a meeting of chief secretaries, directors general of police and chief electoral officers of poll-bound and neighbouring states in New Delhi on Wednesday

Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Delhi are going to polls between November 11 and December 4. While the results for four of the states would be out on December 8, that for Mizoram will be declared on December 9.

The EC has convened the meeting to work out the modalities for checking infiltration into poll-bound states from neighbouring states and will seek curbs on the influx of people as well as money, liquor and drugs, which may be used to lure voters ahead of elections.

It will seek to put in place such machinery as would help curb electoral malpractices and ensure free and fair polling. There have been numerous complaints in the past about the flow of money, liquor and drugs from non-polling states into the poll-bound ones to lure voters.

The issue of infiltration of people from across state borders, including the influx of goons, to create disturbances during polling will also be actively discussed at the meeting.

Sources said that the chief secretaries, DGPs and CEOs of the poll-bound states as also those from their neighbouring states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab, will be present at Wednesday’s meeting.

The EC will ask the neighbouring states to check any disturbances and interference in the poll-bound states issuing from areas within their jurisdiction, sources said.

The State police will also impose restrictions on the flow of people from non-polling states into the poll-bound ones. Borders of neighbouring states are generally sealed a day

ahead of elections and on polling day to check the flow of anti-social elements.