Deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer Nitesh Patil has asked all officers to take steps to ensure free and fair general elections.
At a meeting of officers after the announcement by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Deputy Commissioner instructed Assistant Returning Officers and nodal officers to strictly enforce the Model Code of Conduct and other rules and regulations of the ECI.
All kinds of election-related advertisements should be cleared immediately as per norms regarding advertisements of the government, political parties, candidates and others, he said.
Posters, graffiti, banners, cutouts in public places should be cleared within 24 hours. Political activities are banned in temples and religious places. Respective tahsildars should take temples under their control. All types of tenders and transfers are prohibited. Government officials should not visit any politician unnecessarily, he said.
Political gatherings and functions should be allowed only after applications on the Suvidha portal. The Deputy Commissioner said that the applications submitted seeking permission to hold political meetings and ceremonies should be reviewed and disposed of immediately as per rules.
Prior approval is mandatory for organizing any political meetings, ceremonies and programmes.
As per the Model Code of Conduct, the organisers should submit an online application on Suvidha portal 48 hours before the programme (https://suvidha.eci.gov.in/pc/public/login).
As many as 54 check-posts have been established in the district and all these check-posts were made operational on Saturday.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer and Returning Officer of Chikkodi Lok Sabha Constituency Rahul Shinde said that Suvidha portal should be started immediately.
Superintendent of Police Bheema Shankar Guled said that teams of police and other sector officials should be formed to facilitate mutual coordination.
Inspector-General of Police Vikash Kumar Vikash, Deputy Commissioner of Police Rohan Jagadish, Probationary IAS Officer Shubham Shukla and others were present.
