Election Commission Conducts Comprehensive Review of Odisha’s Election Preparedness Ahead of Simultaneous Polls

Bhubaneswar: In a two-day visit, the Election Commission of India (ECI), led by Chief Election Commissioner Sri Rajiv Kumar and Hon’ble Election Commissioner of India Mr. Arun Goel, conducted a comprehensive review of election preparedness in Odisha. The high-level meetings involved key officials from the state government and enforcement agencies to assess readiness for the upcoming simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assembly of Odisha.

The day’s proceedings began with discussions involving the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), State Police Nodal Officers, and CPF Nodal Officer. These discussions focused on crucial aspects of election management, ensuring a strategic approach to handle various challenges.

Following this, a meeting was convened with representatives from various enforcement agencies, including NCB, State CT&GST, CISF, BSF, RBI, ED, and the IT Department. The emphasis was on fostering a collaborative approach to maintaining electoral integrity. The importance of coordinated efforts among all stakeholders was highlighted to facilitate a seamless electoral process.

The ECI delegation included Senior Deputy Election Commissioners Mr. Dharmendra Sharma and Mr. Nitesh Vyas, Deputy Election Commissioner Mr. Manoj Kumar Sahu, Director General of Media Mr. B. Narayanan, and The Economic Director of the Commission Mr. Pankaj Shrivastava. The CEO cum ACS Sri Nikunja Bihari Dhala and ACEO Dr. N. Thirumala Naik actively participated in all discussions with various stakeholders.

In the afternoon, the ECI held a meeting with the Chief Secretary Sri Pradeep Kumar Jena and DG Police Sri Arun Kumar Sarangi to discuss various issues related to election preparedness.

The visit concluded with a press conference where Chief Election Commissioner Sri Kumar and the ECI team addressed the media. They shed light on different dimensions of the upcoming simultaneous election, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process in Odisha.