Come up with specific complaints, CEC to political parties

Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla today urged political leaders in Jharkhand to come up with ''specific complaints'' in terms of their apprehension about any ''sensitive polling booth'' for the five-phase Assembly elections in the state from November 25.

Significantly, Mr Chawla sought to downplay security concerns during polling despite spurt in Naxal strikes in the state, asserting that adeqaute forces would be deployed for the exercise.

Talking to newspersons following review meeing with different political parties here, he said the EC could not act on general complaint to ensure ''free, fair and transparent polling''.

The CEC said ''criminal candidates'' would not be allowed to contest polls.

When he was asked to clear the point, Mr Chawla said district administration--DC and SP--would persue the case before allowing any candidate with criminal background to be in the fray.

The acitivites of the candidates would be vedio-recorded, he said.

On whether the top politicians, including former chief minister Madhu Koda, were elligible to contest the polls, he said investigating agencies were inquirying into the casses, hence the EC had no role in it.

''Why the EC would interfere in the busiuness of the investigating agencies,'' he asked.

Mr Chawla arrived here to review the preparations of Assembly elections beginning November 25.

During the two-day tour, the CEC was accompanied by Election Commissioner S Y Quarishi and Deputy Election Commissioner Alok Shukla.

Tomorrow, the EC team will visit Bokaro and review poll preparations there before leaving for New Delhi.

-- (UNI) -- 03CA41.xml

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