EC begins tour of five states to assess poll preparedness

Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Delhi ,Rajasthan , Chhattisgarh are on the list

Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath today said schedule for Assembly elections due in five states including Madhya Pradesh will be announced after assessment of their preparadeness to hold polls is done.

The election commission team arrived in Bhopal yesterday as part of its tour to assess the preparedness of respective state governments to hold assembly elections.

While terms of legislative assemblies of Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Delhi and Rajasthan end this year, that of Chhattisgarh ends on 4th January, 2014.

The CEC announced setting up of district-level Media Certification and Monitoring Committees (MCMC) and also a state-level committee in Madhya Pradesh for round-the-clock monitoring of election-related coverage in electronic and print media to track paid news.

The CEC, accompanied by election commissioners H S Brahma and Dr Nasim Zaidi, was addressing the media on the conclusion of his two-day visit to Bhopal for assessing preparedness of the state machinery.

He said Election Commission was 'fully satisfied' with the preparedness of the state election machinery.

Sampath said media and political parties were briefed on practice of paid news through numerous workshops held in Bhopal.

'Similar workshops would be held at Indore and Jabalpur and briefing (on paid news) will be done at district level as well,' he added.

On schedule for assembly elections in the five states, the CEC said the announcement will be made once the poll watchdog has completed the stock-taking drive.

'The total number of voters in Madhya Pradesh stood at 4.64 crore as on July 24 this year. Out of this, 2.45 crore voters are male and 2.19 crore female,' Sampath said.

The CEC said the total number of polling stations in Madhya Pradesh for this year's assembly elections would be 53,896 as against 46,812 in 2008.

On inflated poll expenditure, the CEC said elaborate guidelines have been issued to put in check use of money power during elections.