ROs should play a vital role in conducting elections: DC

District Collector V Prasanna Venkatesh directed the Election Returning Officers to play a vital role in conducting elections and also asked them to have a full understanding of election norms.
Training classes were conducted for the ROs and AROs to impart training on conducting elections here on Saturday. Addressing the ROs and AROs on the occasion, the Collector Prasanna Venkatesh said that as per the instructions of the State Election Commission, ROs and AROs were appointed for each constituency, adding that the role of Returning Officer is very important in the election process.
He suggested that the Returning and Assistant Returning Officers should perform their duties responsibly from the time the election notification is issued until the results are announced. He said the key responsibilities of conducting elections, expenditure of candidates, scrutiny, rejection of nominations, withdrawal of nominations, publication of final list of contesting candidates, preparation of ballot papers and counting of votes are on the returning officers.
Every chapter in the ‘Handbook’ given by the Election Commission to the Returning Officers should be read thoroughly, he told them. He also asked the officials to read the latest guidelines issued by the Election Commission on every topic like nominations, scrutiny and so on, stating that the election code of conduct should be followed strictly.
“From the moment the election schedule is released, wall posters with pictures of public representatives including the Chief Minister should be removed. At the same time, there is no need to cover the statues of the deceased prominent leaders; the Collector told the officials not to try to meet political leaders.
Joint Collector B Lavanya Veni instructed the ROs and AROs to ensure that the election code of conduct should not be violated anywhere in the district. “The ROs and AROs should act very carefully during the nomination process and examine the documents as per the checklist. Every circular and guideline issued by the Election Commission should be carefully examined,” she told them.
She directed the ROs and AROs to set up special teams in the respective constituencies to examine the issues related to social media. The MCC teams should not have any laxative in performing the duties assigned to them. The ROs should pay special attention to the maintenance of EVMs, vote counting arrangements; declaration of results and C-Whistle App, Lavanya Veni told the ROs and AROs. DRO D Pushpamani, ITDA PO M Suryateja, and a host of other officials were present.