EC to introduce 24-hr helpline

In order to make a proper co-ordination between the voters and the sector officers and to address the grievances of the people, the Election Commission (EC) has decided to open a round the clock help line.

It may be mentioned that the EC had taken up a number of initiatives so that the voters can exercise their franchise without any fear. The EC has introduced mobile application, software through which the voters can register their complaints with the EC.  Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar said that a 24-hr call centre will be opened where the voters will be able to lodge the complaints. The sector officers will interact with the voters and address their complaints. The number will be made public in next couple of days. Following the instruction from the EC for remapping the vulnerable areas across the state, around 14,000 spots have been identified as sensitive areas where there is a possibility of violence. During the visit of the full Bench of the EC, it had instructed the senior officials to remap the sensitive pockets as they Commission was not impressed with the identification of sensitive areas done by the district administrative officers. Sarkar during a press conference at the Commission’s office in the city said that the candidature of 136 contestants have been accepted by the Commission for the first day of the phase I elections scheduled to take place on April 4 in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore. While for the second day of the phase I elections which is scheduled on April 11, the Commission has received nominations of 136 candidates which will be scrutinised by the Commission on Monday. The elections will be held in Burdwan, Bankura and West Midnapore on April 11.