Useful informations ......

• List of micro observers sent to BDOs/SDOs by email. Please plan their stay and travel plan. All of them should not be accommodated at centralised place, but can be be booked guest houses of Govt departments wherever available.
• BLO can be used as runner in remote and inaccessible areas, mobile shadow zone. Payment shall be same as Assistance booth, which is Rs 175 per day plus Rs 100 for meal charges.
• More funds to BDOs has been sanctioned to meet election expenses.
• BSF in a meeting with DM Nadia at Krishnagar agreed to keep selected gates (Half of total) open from 6 am to 6 pm on poll day so that the genuine agricultural workers/ farmers can come to polling station to exercise their franchise as some of them might be having lands beyond fencing. In case of electors residing beyond fencing, BSF agreed to keep the gates along these villages/ polling stations of these electors opened from 5.30 am to 9 pm on poll day. BSF has also agreed to increase border vigil from P-1 to poll day so that the Indo Bangla Border is properly sealed. 
• Communication officers must be available in control rooms on P-1 and P day.
• Assistance booth can be manned by BLOs @ two persons per PSL upto four booths and three persons for more than four booths. Roll locator is under printing and shall be made available by 4th April 2009.
• DCRC training should be attended by all who are actually assigned duties on DCRC day.
• In urban areas DSWO has identified Braille educated electors. Sector officers may ask them to cast their vote in the first hour.
• Joint briefing of sector officers must be organised by 4th April 2009 latest by 3 pm, as police officers have been asked to attend IG's briefing at 4 pm on 4th April 2009.

Video camera and micro observers to cover 100 % booth not manned by armed forces

Elections at 1893 Polling Station Locations shall be held on 7th May 2009 for 15 Assembly Segments in our district. There are 562 PSLs where armed forces or Central Para Military Forces may not be deployed as these are non sensitive based on vulnerability mapping, critical analysis of past electoral data. In consultation with observers, it has now been decided that all PSLs in the district shall be covered by CPF>Armed Police>Micro observer>video camera teams for free and fair elections in this order. On an average 30+ micro observers shall be assigned in each Assembly segment. Number of video camera in each AC shall be 8-10 in number. We will issue letters to the micro observer on 2nd May 2009 intimating them their place of reporting at 9 am on 6th May 2009. SDOs/ BDOs may arrange logistics for stay and transport of micro observers accordingly.

In addition to above police arrangement, RT mobiles as striking forces shall be deployed with CPF for each 8-12 sectors.

All the best to Election Managers TEAM NADIA

We have almost completed our preparations for Elections on 7th May on 1893 Polling Station Locations of 15 ACs. Here are some of the relevant information may be useful to SDOs/ BDOs :-

1. Micro Observers shall be deployed @ minimum 25 % of total booths. We will inform the SDOs/ BDOs by 1st May 2009 as to which are the persons going to report for duty at each AC on distribution centre. Observers may send polling station wise tagging of micro observers on P-1 day directly yo SDO/ARO. At this moment we need to assess our requirement of vehicles and dispatch of micro observer from DC as per the information available. On an average each AC may expect 30-40 micro observers. Once the name of the PSL is also known, arrangements for stay, route chart etc can be decided. As a precaution, BDO offices/ GP offices can be night halt places and small vehicles around 8 to 10 can be reserved for the micro observers.
2. Similarly, the number of video camera/ digital camera each AC will be known by 1st May 2009. Observers may decide the deployment plan by P-1 DAY.
3. Water carrier @ one per PSL is allowed with some conditions and may be appointed by BDO, runner can be appointed for booths not having communication facility.
4. Rates for DCRC allowances finalised and being circulated.
5. Meeting of political parties and contesting candidates is fixed at 4 pm on 30th April 2009 at Krishnagar Collectorate Conference hall.
6. DCRC trainings must be organised by 4th April 2009 and must be attended by all who has specific duties assigned at the DCRC.
7. ASD list must be signed by AROs on each page and should be sent to District by 30th April 2009.
8. Photography is over today. Image scanning and merge must be completed in time.
9. All EPICs prepared now must be distributed quickly.

Important tasks ahead and dates as decided

SDOs / BDOs to note

1. Organise joint sector briefing of Police and Civil Sectors in presence of Magistrates, Senior Police Officers at DC place on 4th May 2009, Observers may also attend. SP Nadia confirms presence of all Police sector officers for all places by 3rd May 2009.
2. Confidence Building Measures in most vulnerable areas must continue, with the presence of Senior Officers.
3. HRFS force may move with Magistrates.
4. Another training for reserve may be organised on 30th April 2009.
5. DCRC trainings must be held on 4th or 5th May 2009, issue ID cards/ entry passes to all those deployed during training. Nobody should be issued passes on DC day.
6. All allowances to polling personnel must be paid on 2nd day of training, and that of micro observers on DC day.
7. Khoraki to drivers and khalasi of all categories of vehicles must be paid well in advance.
8. Dry Run of communication plan shall take place on 2nd May 2009. Control Room must be opened from 1st May 2009 and contact numbers must be sent to OC Election for publicity.
9. All repairs of booths, toilets, drinking water etc must be completed by 4th May 2009. Now, the final approval of booths has been accorded. Shifted booths must be communicated to all concerned.
10. Police deployment plan may be finalised by 28th April 2009 after consent of Observers, thereafter Micro observer deployment plan will also be communicated for logistic arrangements at PSLs where they are posted.
11. MCC teams must be further strengthened and violations must be dealt strictly.
12. New report format for daily report on MCC, Law & order, Photography progress, EPIC distribution, night vigil, CBMs have been circulated. Report in new format to OC Election with copy to MCC cell.

EDC can be issued from the end of ARO and sent to training venue

As all of us are aware EDC can be issued to poll duty staff/ officers only to those being appointed on election duty within Parliament Constituency of Home AC. Now, the EDC marking after verification of part number and serial number is done at the end of ARO of AC where the poll staff is elector. All applications received by AROs of each Subdivision (ARO authorised at Sadar) for 12A EDC must be processed in time and EDC can be sent to place of training as per the acquittance roll of training class so that these can be delivered to concerned poll duty staff in the 2nd day training class. EDC of sector officers, magistrates, other staff on election duty can also be issued in the same way. SDOs/ AROs and PB EDC facilitation centre must see that the system works smoothly and transparently. All EDCs must be arranged PIN wise once it is received at the training venue.

2. Postal ballots has to be issued from the end of ARO authorised for PB (Sadar) and SDOs as AROs. Marking in electoral roll must also be done by them.

3. We have fixed 2nd May 2009 upto 5 pm as the last date for submission of application for issue of PB & EDC by poll duty staff, drivers, khalasi, police personnel, THGs and any other poll duty personnel.

4. Micro observers have been advised to apply for PB as their place of deployment is not likely to be known before 4th April 2009.

Braille EVM demonstration in Nadia - draws attention of CEOWESTBENGAL

Earlier post on this blog, linked to ceowestbengal blog, have been appreciated. Can see the post of CEO at http://ceowestbengal.blogspot.com/2009/04/awareness-for-braille-dm-nadias-comment.html.

SDOs are advised to collect list of booths where Braille educated electors reside from DSWO and brief PrO, Micro observer, Sector Officers and Magistrate adequately. There are more than 100 such electors identified by us. Let's endeavour to facilitate their vote through Braille Ballot.

We may request such electors to come at the start of poll, if feasible, and cast their vote. First vote by Braille can be a big achievement for the efforts of ECI.

2. Micro Observers' training is being held today at Rabindra Bhawan, Krishnagar from 11.00 hrs.

3. EVM commissioning for both PCs shall commence from 28th April 2009 at respective subdivisions where EVMs are now stored. Commissioned EVMs shall be stored at the respective distribution centre under adequate armed security round the clock till P-1 day.

4. Mark copy of electoral rolls work must be gear up so as to be completed by 30th April 2009 at the latest except PB/EDC marking, that has to be done at the time of dispatch of postal ballot papers to the applicants/ or issuing of EDC.

5. ASD list must be carefully prepared and signed by AROs on each page. Standing Committee meeting decisions must be taken into consideration while approving the list of ASD.

6. Sector Management must be monitored personally by BDOs/ SDOs on daily basis, particularly repairs of booths, communication plan etc. No staff of clerical cadre can be allowed Sector Officers. Please post senior officers and designate the clerical staff as Assistant Sector.

7. Funds have been sub allotted to SDOs, that can be further released to BDOs as per requirement (Sadar BDOs to get it from ADM Election).

8. Water carrier can be appointed by BDOs as per existing system. We may also consider cycle messenger to the booths where Assistance booth is not set up. Such cycle messenger can only be appointed out of BLOs who may also act as contact person in case of emergency.

9. Sector Officers will be reimbursed Rs 200 for mobile user charges.

10. MCC teams must continue night vigil through police and patrolling jointly as directed earlier.