Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 16 April 2024
As the General Elections-2024 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands draw closer, the Office of the Returning Officer, A&N Islands Parliamentary Constituency (ANIPC) has ramped up its efforts to ensure the smooth conduct of the electoral process. In a bid to uphold the integrity of the democratic exercise, Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS, Returning Officer, ANIPC, accompanied by Ms. Niharika Bhatt, IPS, Superintendent of Police, South Andaman, undertook night inspections of various crucial teams deployed for implementation of Model Code of Conduct.
The last 72 hours leading up to the polling day are deemed critical, encompassing the final day of the campaign period, the subsequent non-campaign period (last 48 hours), and the polling period itself. Recognising the significance of this timeframe, the RO Office ANIPC, in collaboration with the Police Department and other pertinent departments, is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the elections are conducted with utmost transparency and fairness.
During the nocturnal inspections, Mr. Sharma and Ms. Bhatt meticulously scrutinised the activities of the Video Surveillance Teams (VST) and Flying Squads (FST), as well as various checkpoints across the city. Their objective was to ascertain the stringent implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, a cornerstone of electoral ethics.
With just two days remaining until the commencement of the General Elections-2024, the Returning Officer, ANIPC, has issued stringent directives to all teams to heighten their vigilance and enforcement efforts. It is imperative that election functionaries at the district level are well-versed in the myriad activities and protocols mandated for this critical period, ensuring seamless execution in accordance with the directives of the Election Commission.