Five Expenditure Observers and 13 Assistant Expenditure Observer appointed for Ganjam district by the Election Commission of India for the upcoming General Elections 2019 have arrived here to keep a strict vigil on the poll-related expenditure to be incurred by Lok Sabha and Assembly candidates of various political parties, informed district Collector Bijaya Amruta Kulange here.
Besides, 13 accounting teams, 39 flying squads, 39 video-viewing teams have come to keep an eye on the candidates with regard to violation of election rules, said the Collector.
Kulange further informed that as many as 7,200 Polling Officers and 330 Sector officers would be provided training for smooth conduct of the polling. Imparting training to Presiding Officers and First Polling Officers has already been started since Saturday. For this, 109 Master Trainers (MTs) have been engaged.
Provisions of drinking water, electricity and toilet facility have been ensured in 3,063 polling booths, he informed.
Similarly, there would be a “Pink-booth” in each of the 13 Assembly constituencies to be manned by a Female Polling Officer, besides 11 model booths. Currently, there are 48,846 physically-disabled voters in the district and, to bring them to booth, 1,053 vehicles and volunteers would be deployed on the day of polling, he said.
Speaking on the implementation of code of conduct, the Collector said as many as 25,000 posters and hoardings of different political parties have already been removed by now. Similarly, huge quantities of liquor and ganja have been seized and 68 persons have been arrested in this connection.
He informed that that while four candidates have submitted nominations for Brahmapur Lok Sabha seat, two have filed papers for the Aska seat. Similarly, four have submitted papers for the Brahmapur Assembly constituency, one each for Bhanjanagar and Chikiti, three for Gopalpur and two have filed papers for Hinjili constituency.
Among others, Additional Collectors Rabindra Kumar Sahu and Lakshmikant Sethi and Election Officer Bijaynanda Sethi were present.
