CEO HOLDS MEET WITH POLITICAL PARTIES

CEO geares-up to conduct Elections

January 18, 2024

The Chief Electoral Officer, Shri Ramesh Verma, IAS stated that the office of Chief Electoral Officer, Goa has geared up it machinery and prepared for the coming Lok Sabha Election. Shri Verma addressing a meeting with representative of political parties underscored the need to have a healthy electoral roll as it plays a very important role in elections. Informing that after publication of the draft electoral roll, a total of 1166939 voters are present in the electoral roll and further added that registration of new voter is a continuous process and one can register in electoral till the last date of filing of nominations by the candidate and attain the right to vote in this Lok Sabha election.

The five-year term of the 17th Lok Sabha is due to expire in June 2024. Taking into consideration all the constitutional and legal provisions, the Election Commission of India has made comprehensive preparations for the conduct of elections to the 18th Lok Sabha in a free, fair and peaceful manner.

Shri Sunil Masurkar, Additional CEO, Smt Triveni Velip, Jt CEO, and Smt Sangeeta Naik, Additional Director, Panchayat and Nodal Officer E-Roll and Law and Order, Shri Snehal Goltekar, Nodal Officer MCMC, Kum Prajakta Goltekar, Dy. CEO , Ms Sapna Naik Bandodkar, Asst CEO were present on the occasion.

Smt Sangeeta Naik, Nodal Officer, E-Roll and Law and Order through a presentation briefed the preparedness including topic E-roll & Final Publication, Complaint Monitoring, cvigil, Voter Helpline App, EVM & VVPAT, Law and Order, Appointment of Booth Level Agent (BLAs) and Worry list, if any, from Political Parties.

Highlighting the new initiatives to be proposed to decorate polling booth Shri Verma said that all the 1725 polling booths will be decorated using local traditional materials showing unique identity of beautiful Goa to rest of the States. He said this time fifth category of Youth staff will be deployed to handle the polling booth like Pink and PwD booths.

Shri Verma said that under Green Highway concept a new initiative is proposed wherein Planting of medicinal or Fruit bearing saplings through every voter and polling officials will be done at selected Polling Stations located in the vicinity of National Highways. This initiative will help us leave a greener footprint and the efforts of election team towards a greener and a resilient environment for all, he remarked.

Shri Verma informed that all the voters on election duty who have been issued Postal Ballot will have to cast their vote only at the Facilitation Centres. Total 17 Training Centres have been identified in which Facilitation centres will be setup at these training centres/ venues for casting of votes by poll officials drafted for election duties. The entire process of voting at facilitation centres will be video-graphed.

The representatives of Political parties who attended the meeting were Shri Shri Savio de Souza, General Secretary INC; Shri Pundalik Raut Desai, Bhartiya Janata Party; Shri Sandeep Vernekar, Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party; Shri Durgadas Kamat, General Secretary, Goa Forward Party and Shri Ajay Kholkar, Treasurer, RGP

DI/NB/DB/AXP/KM/2024