EC bars meetings with Haryana district officials

The Haryana chief secretary and other senior officials have been asked not to hold meetings or organise video conferences with district officials to review poll preparedness, progress on electoral rolls' preparation or revision and other such activities, a senior election official said Tuesday.

Haryana chief electoral officer Shrikant Walgad said that the Election Commission has prohibited holding such meetings or video conferences by the executive machinery of the state. He said that all work related to the conduct of elections and preparation of the electoral rolls fell under the purview of the poll panel and the state executive should not interfere with it.

Elections to 90 assembly seats in Haryana are to be held Oct 15.

Walgad said that all district officials directly connected with the conduct of the election have to report only to the EC. Any such meetings can be held only with the EC's permission, he added.