Lok Sabha polls: Training programme held for staff associated with electoral system in Gandhinagar
Jan 20, 2024
Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], January 20 : A two-day state-level workshop was held in Gujarat to impart training to officers and staff associated with the electoral system on issues EVM-VVPAT, polling stations and a model code of conduct ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
A two-day state-level workshop of district-level master trainers was held in Gandhinagar as part of the preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha general elections.
"In this workshop, extensive training was imparted on issues including EVM-VVPAT, polling stations, polling staff, a model code of conduct, postal ballot and expenditure monitoring, as per a press note from the Gujarat Office of the Chief Electoral Officer.
"The trained officers and staff associated with the electoral system are the cornerstones for the smooth conduct of elections. The rules framed by the Election Commission of India for free, fair and transparent elections and the corresponding updated instructions are required to be familiarised with the staff and officials involved in the election process. Accordingly, a two-day training programme for district-level master trainers was organised at Gandhinagar by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer," the release stated.
Senior officers trained 36 officers from 18 districts on January 17 and 18, and 36 officers from 16 districts on January 19 and 20, 2024. The training workshop covers the collection, transportation and maintenance of EVM-VVPAT, as well as matters related to polling stations, arrangements for polling day, polling staff, post-ballot, IT, etc. Detailed guidance was provided on topics including applications, cost monitoring and the model code of conduct.
"A detailed presentation was made on the duties and precautions to be observed by the booth-level officers, presiding officers, sector officers and microobservers. Joint Chief Electoral Officer AB Patel gave detailed guidance to the district-level master trainers on the things to keep in mind regarding the election process," as per the release.
As the 2024 Lok Sabha elections draw near, India's political landscape is undergoing a significant reshuffling. The emerging INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) consortium is gearing up to challenge the NDA, setting the stage for an electoral showdown.
Earlier in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA won 353 seats, the UPA stood at 91, and others won 98. The voting was staggered in seven phases between April 11 and May 19, in which around 67 per cent of the nearly 900 million eligible people exercised their franchise to elect 542 members of the Lok Sabha.
