SHILLONG, FEB 3: Concerned NGOs have complained that the toll-free number set up by the Election Commission of India to receive complaints on election-related malpractices and other violation of the model code of conduct has not been functioning in Meghalaya that goes to the polls on February 23.
“The toll-free number ‘1950’ is not working in Meghalaya, which is very sad,” said National Election Watch (NEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) programme officer Mashqura Fareedi.
The ECI had opened the number to make it easy for people to register their complaints relating to movement of cash and other violation of the model code of conduct during electioneering in the state. However, with less than 20 days to go for polls, the number, Fareedi said, functions only in Shillong and not in other parts of the state, which is sure to defeat the ECI’s of conducting a free and fair poll in the state.
She, however, said deputy chief electoral officer B Dhar admitted that the problem exists and has passed instruction to the telecom department to rectify the fault at the earliest.
The Meghalaya Election Watch (MEW), which was launched on Sunday, has convened a meeting of various stakeholders, including NGOs and members of the civil society, to discuss the strategies to be adopted to ensure free and fair elections in Meghalaya. “We will make all out effort to ensure that money power is reduced to the maximum during the elections,” said Fareedi, adding: “The Meghalaya Election Watch will also create awareness among the masses that selling of votes or accepting bribes for votes will not be of help, and that it is a criminal offence.”
The MEW will come out with a background paper on all the candidates contesting the elections before February 12. “We will be releasing the background of candidates from all leading political parties, which include qualification, financial position, assets and criminal cases,” she said.
Fareedi said the MEW has launched its SMSes campaign to provide the electorate with all the information about the candidates from different constituencies. A voter wll need to type “myneta” and the name of the constituency and send it to 56070 to get the details. (By Our Reporter)
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