Maha polls: Parties need to justify picking tainted nominees, says CEC

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday expressed concern over the 'apathy' of urban and young voters in Maharashtra, and said efforts are being made to ensure maximum polling in the coming assembly elections in the state.

IMAGE: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu addresses a press conference on review meeting with Maharashtra's top officials on the poll preparations ahead of the state assembly elections, in Mumbai on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai after reviewing poll preparedness, CEC Kumar informed that strict instructions have been given to the administration that officers who have completed three years in their posting should be transferred immediately.

The CEC, who wrapped up the poll body's two-day visit to the state, also warned that fake news during the polls will be dealt with sternly.

Besides disclosing in their affidavits, candidates have to prominently declare criminal cases they are facing, if any, thrice in newspapers in print as well on television, he said, adding that political parties too have to publish within three days of nomination why a candidate with criminal background was selected.

"You (political parties) have to tell the public whether you did not get any (other) candidate and why was it necessary to select them (those with criminal background)," he said.

The CEC informed that webcasting of proceedings will be done at a minimum of 50 per cent of booths -- 100 per cent in urban areas and at more than 50 per cent booths in rural areas.

"We are committed to provide free, fair, inducement-free, accessible and inclusive elections at every stage. We will make all efforts sincerely to provide absolutely level-playing field," he said.

Talking about the voter apathy witnessed in urban areas of the state, the CEC pointed out that Colaba in south Mumbai (40 per cent voting), Pune Cantonment (43 per cent), Mumbadevi and Kurla in Mumbai (44 per cent) and Kalyan near Mumbai (41 per cent) were the areas which recorded among the lowest voter turnout in the Lok Sabha polls this year.

"Urban apathy and youth apathy is a big issue in certain parts of Maharashtra," Kumar said, adding that political parties made a demand that polling should be held in the middle of a week so that people do not club polling days with the weekend and treat it as an extended holiday.

"It (urban apathy) does not behove well," he further said, and cited, in comparison, voting figures of Doda (72 per cent), Riyasi (74), Poonch (74) in Jammu and Kashmir, and Left-Wing Extremist-affected areas like Bastar (68 per cent) and Gadchiroli (73 per cent).

"If Gadchiroli (in eastern Maharashtra) can poll 73 per cent, then polling in Colaba, Kalyan and Pune can also rise," the CEC added.

All parties wanted the Election Commission to keep Diwali and Chhath celebrations in mind while scheduling the elections, he said.

Efforts are being taken to ensure that there is maximum enrolment and voting in Maharashtra assembly elections, Kumar said, adding that if any name is yet to be enrolled, it can be done even now.

On transfer of officials, the CEC said the poll body made it clear to the Maharashtra Chief Secretary and Director General of Police that those who have completed three years must be transferred.

"There can be no disagreement on this. We are not reconsidering this. Everybody must be transferred," he said.

"We have asked Maharashtra Government to shift officials who have served in their home district or current posting for over three years," Kumar said, adding he has asked for a compliance report in the next couple of days.

About the Opposition Congress demanding transfer of Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla to ensure free and fair polls, he said individual complaints are not discussed in press conferences, but the poll body will go through the process rigorously and take decision.

Daily wage earners and others in the unorganised sector should be informed by the administration that voting day will be a paid holiday for them, he said.

There will be checking of all helicopters (during electioneering) to ensure inducement-free elections, he said.

Kumar warned that those spreading fake news and using deep fake technology on social media (to spread wrong or misleading information about elections or candidates) will be dealt with sternly.

"I am confident Maharashtra will contribute to the ensuing festival of democracy," Kumar said.

"We met all the stakeholders, including political parties and officials during our stay in Mumbai, he added.

To a question about whether the Maharashtra elections will be held in a single phase or multiple phases, he said, "You will come to know that later."

There will be 1,00,186 polling booths in the assembly elections of which 42,585 would be in urban areas and 57,601 in rural parts. As many as 350 booths will be managed only by the youth --- those who have recently joined government service, while there will be 388 booths will all-women staff.

During the visit to the state, the Election Commission met leaders of 11 parties -- the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the Congress, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, the Samajwadi Party, the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, Kumar said.

'Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were also present at the press conference.

The term of the current 288-member Maharashtra assembly will come to an end on November 26.