Last two phases of LS polls: EC officials to act tough

Election officials will act spontaneously without waiting for any formal complaint and activate the powers to use central forces if any electoral malpractice is detected during the last two phases of Lok Sabha polls tomorrow and on May 12.
These are among the additional steps that the EC announced today in the wake of allegations of largescale rigging and booth capturing in some states, including West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and charges that poll authorities at the field level failed to react promptly.
Briefing media on the measures taken by the poll panel for free and fair polls, Deputy EC Vinod Zutshi said here that presiding officers have been asked to use their powers under electoral laws to use central foces deployed in polling stations to prevent any "untoward" incident.

Besides the sector magistrate, who is in charge of 10 polling stations, the EC has also decided to deploy static magistrates in sensitive booths polling stations to respond immediately to complaints.
Zutshi said the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have now been asked to keep an eye on happenings in polling stations and report any untoward incident to the observers or sector magistrates.
He said since local media reports untoward incidents on the poll day promptly, the local TV channels will be monitored to react swiftly without waiting for a formal complaint.
This is part of the latest initiative to form poll day tracking teams to deal with cases promptly.

Another dfirective issued by the EC states that any complaint received from the polling agents at any level shall be inquired immediately.