EC plans to encourage voters' participation

The Election Commission in order to boost the voters' confidence has decided to display a 'Voters' Pledge' at the entrance of all booths and issue a 'Certificate of Appreciation' to the district with highest turnout in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, an official said.
"This will be done to boost voters' participation," state's assistant Chief Electoral Officer Amitjyoti Bhattacharya said here today.
The Commission would also issue 'voters slip' to all electorates for the first time integrating on its reverse side a motivational speech, he added.
The Commission would also use stickers on vehicles of the state transport department to campaign its theme on voters' participation, Bhattacharya said.

Meanwhile, notification for the state's first phase of elections in constituencies of Coochbehar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling would be issued tomorrow, EC's OSD in-charge of Expenditure in the state Amit Roy Chowdhury said.
Regarding complaint against Trinamool Congress leader Becharam Manna for his alleged "derogatory" remarks, Roy Chowdhury said the CEO has received a report from the Hooghly DM and that would be sent to the EC.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer Saibal Barman said that the Commission would review the state's law and order situation tomorrow and the district magistrates have been asked to monitor situation and check any violation of the Model Code of Conduct in their respective districts.

He said that there would not be any restriction on the number of vehicles or motorbikes a candidate can use for campaigning and it would depend on the local administration to take the decision depending on the law and order situation situation in that said area.
Asked if a singer could be able to sing during campaign and that could be telecast as per Model Code of Conduct or films of actor contestants could be shown in the theatres, he said there was no hard and fast rules in this regard and steps would be taken on the basis of specific situation.