Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 08 March 2024
In anticipation of the upcoming General Election to Lok Sabha-2024, Mr. B S Jaglan, IAS, the Chief Electoral Officer for Andaman & Nicobar Islands, convened a crucial meeting on March 7th, 2024, at his chamber in the Secretariat of the A&N Administration. The meeting aimed to assess the progress of distributing Elector’s Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) to electors and ensuring efficient Electronic Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) and Postal Ballot facilities for voters.
During the meeting, Mr. Jaglan meticulously reviewed the status of EPIC distribution and addressed various concerns that had arisen regarding the distribution process by Postal staff. Emphasizing the urgency of the matter, he directed the Postal Department to expedite the distribution of EPICs to electors in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
In response, the Postal Department assured Mr. Jaglan that a special messenger team had been deployed to ensure timely distribution of EPICs.
Additionally, discussions centered on the advanced preparations for ETPBS and Postal Ballot papers, aligning with the instructions from the Election Commission of India (ECI). The objective was to facilitate voting for eligible service electors and ensure they could exercise their constitutional right to vote while fulfilling their duties to the nation. Mr. Jaglan directed the Returning Officer and Nodal Officers responsible for ETPBS to complete all necessary activities well in advance to streamline the Postal Ballot preparation process. Furthermore, he urged the Postal Department to appoint a dedicated Nodal Officer to manage Postal Ballots efficiently and systematically.
The meeting saw the participation of key stakeholders including Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS, Returning Officer for ANIPC, Mr. Dilkhush Meena, IAS, Joint Chief Electoral Officer for A&N Islands, Mr. Azharuddin Zahiruddin Quazi, IAS, Nodal Officer for ETPBS, Ms. Nandini Maharaj, IAS, District Nodal Officer, and Mr. Prabhakar Soreng, Deputy Superintendent of Post (HQ) for A&N Islands.
With these concerted efforts and directives, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are gearing up for a smooth and efficient electoral process, ensuring that every eligible voter can exercise their right to vote effectively during the upcoming General Election to Lok Sabha-2024.