Transparency and Technology are to be given preeminent importance during election: Odisha CEO

Bhubaneswar: Transparency and Technology are to be given preeminent importance during election, informed Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and Additional Chief Secretary Nikunj Bihari Dhal today.

Dhal said this while chairing a review meeting regarding the election preparations of various districts in order to properly manage the upcoming general elections from the grassroots level. All the Additional District Magistrates briefed the Chief Electoral Officer about the various aspects of the election preparations of the respective districts.

“Voters are the most important part of the election process. They are the first stakeholder. So, all the preparations should be done by keeping them at the helm. Transparency and Technology are to be given preeminent importance. So the human resources that will be conducting the election should be trained according. The toll free number -1950 should be operational at all times”the Chief Electoral Officer said.

Describing the BLOs as the important part of the entire election process, CEO called them the watchdogs of democracy. Besides, he directed the ADMs to be extremely careful while the printing process of the postal ballots is on.

After the review by the Chief Electoral Officer, various ADMs apprised the CEO about other related poll arrangements and problems in their respective districts.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dr. N. Thirumala Naik along with all other officials were also present in the review meeting.