Polls won’t be delayed: Bhanwarlal

• Targets 90-95 per cent voting
• Takes part in EC-HMTV ‘Votee Maa Brahmastram’ phone-in programme

Hyderabad: There is no scope for the general elections getting delayed in view of the State bifurcation process, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Bhanwarlal asserted here on Sunday.

Efforts were being made to ensure 90 to 95 per cent polling in the next elections. To achieve this, names of all eligible voters were being included in the voters’ list. He expected more people to exercise their franchise in view of the recent agitations in two regions.

The CEO said such programmes would help bring about public awareness.

“If people want to choose their rulers for five years, they should abandon thoughts of spending three hours watching a film on the holiday,” he added.

Participating in the ‘Votee Maa Brahmastram’ phone-in programme, jointly organised by the Election Commission and HMTV, he revealed that the election process had to be completed by May this year. The newly-constituted Assembly and the Lok Sabha would be convened in the first week of June. The CEO said the original election schedule would be followed this time also, in spite of the formation of two States. Likewise, there may not be any massive changes in the number of the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies. However, a clearer picture would emerge once the election notification was issued in first week of March.

Replying to a question, Bhanwarlal said that he had proposed polling in three phases to the Election Commission. However, the election could be held in either two or three phases. Barring a few administrative issues, he did not visualise any problems in the context of the formation of two States. Replying to a suggestion of Ravichandra Reddy (Secunderabad), he said the proposal would be sent to the Election Commission to cancel the leave if a voter did not exercise the franchise. To another questions on inclusion of names of wife and children of a person in the voters’ list, he said on-line registration would not pose any problem. Poll officials would have to go to the voter’s house to collect documents. Action would be taken against those not discharging this responsibility.

Bhanwarlal disclosed that the highest on-line registration of 75 per cent of voters was achieved in the State, thanks to the use of technology, innovative concepts and live web-casting.

Efforts were being made to make available drinking water, toilets and ramps for the disabled and temporary sheds during the election which would be conducted in 70,000 polling stations across the State this summer. A voter could not expect his/her name to be included in the list just by possessing ID card. As a precautionary measure, send an SMS to 92462-80027 for confirmation, along with the card number. The return SMS would furnish all the details.