PNS|Hyderabad
The Election Commission of India (ECI) organised a rigorous two-day training programme for District Election Officers (DEOs).
CEO Vikas Raj said that the training program was aimed at enhancing the skills of DEOs in crucial aspects of election management.
The training programme underscored the vital importance of honing the skills of DEOs to ensure the smooth conduct of elections.
Dr Aariz Aftab, IAS, Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, played a pivotal role as a resource person, adding depth and insights to the training sessions.
The first day of the programme saw DEOs engaging in interactive presentations that covered topics like Law and Order, Model Code of Conduct, Systematic Voter Education, E-Roll, and the intricacies of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VPAT).
National Level Master Trainers (NLMTs) Jayamdev P. and U.N. Shukla led the sessions.
The training comprehensively delved into critical subjects like vulnerability mapping, strategizing law and order measures during elections and understanding personnel and process vulnerabilities.
Notable discussions included the formulation of an Area Domination Plan for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), the roles and responsibilities of observers, Designated Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs), as well as the meticulous management of critical polling stations and effective utilization of Micro Observers and Video Cameras/CCTVs.
The training shed light on pre-poll and post-poll arrangements, the nomination period, election expenditure monitoring and the protocols associated with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
The enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, the cornerstone of ethical election practices, was emphasised throughout the programme.
Additional CEO Lokesh Kumar also attended the programme.
