Will look into every genuine complaint of candidates: Telangana CEO assures political parties

Hyderabad: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj has assured political parties of full cooperation in conducting free, fair, and peaceful polls in Telangana.

He also promised to look into every genuine complaint from the contesting candidates and political parties including that of social media. To save time and effort and also to deliver justice at the earliest possible time, DEOs and EOs would be instructed to handle all political complaints at their level to the best of their ability, he said at a meeting with the political parties.

As the date of nominations is nearing, Vikas Raj, convened a state-level meeting with recognized political parties at his office on Tuesday to sensitize them to the rules and regulations relating to the Model Code of Conduct, pre-certification of ads, star campaigners, manifestos, nominations, affidavits, the technical facilities like Apps, latest position of voters' lists including its rectifications, drive for enrolment, etc.

He has apprised them of all the developments that have been taking place in the state after the release of the schedule.

Nearly 20 representatives from political parties attended the meeting and they brought several issues to the notice of the Commission. CEO assisted by Lokesh Kumar, Additional CEO, Sarfaraj Ahmed, Joint CEO, Satya Vani, Deputy. CEO and other senior officials noted the complaints and clarified them in the meeting.

To bring transparency in this democratic process, the commission has held more than 2,100 meetings with political parties till the 14th of this month. These include meetings conducted by DEOs, EROs, etc., which means that EROs are conducting political party meetings every week, since the release of the schedule, he elaborated.

While updating the political leaders, the joint CEO informed the meeting that more than 27.5 lakh voter cards have been printed and dispatched to electors since January 5 this year and the printing of balance voter cards would be completed and delivered to the voters by the end of this month. Voters on their own can download e-Epic cards from the voters' service portal, he said. However, the enrolment for new voters who wish to participate in these elections would continue till the end of October, he said.