Dry Run of State-Wide Communication Plan on 1.4.2009

Between 12 noon and 4 pm, officers at all levels - State, District, Subdivision and Block - are expected to contact booth-wise contact persons to see if the Communication System is working, that the Contact Person is responding**.

Thereafter corrective action should be taken. A district-wise factual report should be sent to State Communication Officer by 6 pm on 1.4.2009 by email* to

santanujan@yahoo.com

 with the words "DRY RUN: Feedback, ____ District" in the Subject Line by District Communication Officer.

*  (no fax/ written report, please).

** 100% target verification by BDOs/ Sector Officers advised; 25% target by SDOs/EROs; 5% target by DEOs 

Advisory on Effective Training to PP

1. Train PPs in small batches. Use Sector Officers for training PPs.

2. Take a test. Multiple choice. On second day of training. Correction by the PPs themselves, by interchanging so that everyone checks the script of his neighbour...Spl late evening training to those who don't qualify

Advisory on Strong Room

Use temporary bamboo-and-wood racks (record-room / library-style) to increase the holding capacity of EVMs in strong rooms. Increased capacity will be required since now all 7 ACs will be counted in one venue and availability of rooms is sometimes a problem.

Counting Centre : Rationalise

We've issued new guidelines for rationalising counting centres. DEOs may please rethink in depth and re-organise and propose. For making any exceptions, DEOs will have to speak to me with reasons.
Basically it says as follows:
1. All ACs in one PC to be counted in one premise.
2. Counting Centre to be in PC
3. If adequate number of halls is not there, counting may be taken up AC-wise, sequentially.
This calls for a break from tradition and lateral thinking.
-CEO

Calendar for EVM Randomisation, PP Randomisation and PP Training

FIRST PHASE DISTRICTS:

EVM Randomisation: By 8th April (Ist Phase) and by 23rd April (2nd Phase)

PP Randomisation: By 5th April (Ist Phase), on 22/23rd April (2nd Phase) and on 28th April (3rd Phase)

PP Training: By 15th April (Ist Day) and by 26th April (2nd Day)

SECOND PHASE DISTRICTS:

EVM Randomisation: By 14th April (Ist Phase) and by 30th April (2nd Phase)

PP Randomisation: By 10th April (Ist  Phase), on 29/30th April (2nd Phase) and on 5th May (3rd Phase)

PP Training: By 20th April (Ist Day)) and by 3rd May (2nd Day)

THIRD PHASE DISTRICTS:

EVM Randomisation: By 18th April (Ist Phase) and by 6th May (2nd Phase)

PP Randomisation: By 15th April (Ist Phase), on 5/6th May (2nd Phase) and on 11th May (3rd Phase)

PP Training: By 25th April (Ist Day) and by 9th May (2nd Day)

Can applications for inclusion be received by EROs now?

Yes.

Under continuous updation, applications can be received by ERO throughout the year.

So if someone wants to deposit a Form 6/7/8/8A, and if it is complete, it can be received by the ERO concerned at the office of the ERO.

Disposal, however, will be as per standing guidelines of ECI as applicable in an election year. 

Complaints in the Public Domain: Special Cell by EROs

Roll / EPIC related complaints appearing in newspapers and other media should be handled by each ERO with sensitivity and care. A special register should be made by the ERO, indicating action taken. The complainant may be informed over telephone or in writing about the outcome.

PHE Department to Make Water, Sanitation etc arrangements for CPF

For providing logistic arrangements for staying of CPF Companies upon their arrival, the SP provides the first point of contact. As decided by Home Department, for providing water, toilet, sanitation and other facilities, the PHED would do the needful and as such DEOs may inform SPs accordingly. DMs must not spend any election funds (out of 2015 head of account) on arranging logistics of CPF.

Daily Law & Order Reports

Districts need not send daily Law & Order reports to CEO office directly. 

DMs may advise SPs also.

The procedure may be as follows:-

1. SP will prepare daily law and order report in LOR-I. He will give copy to DM and to DG/Police Directorate. Police Directorate will compile reports and send to Home Department.

2. Kolkata Police will give report to Home Department

3. Home (Political) Department will compile reports and send consolidated report in LOR-II format to CEO.

Release / transfer of all Sector Officers / election related officers within 31.3.2009 positively

Few sector officers/ other election related officers have not been released/ transferred although they are in the same office for more than 3 years.
DMs / DEOs must personally ensure that ALL such officers are released latest by 31.3.2009 without waiting for successors.

Inventory of Video Cameras available on hire

A large number of video cameras will need to be hired for video tracking of events not only on the poll day but also during the campaign.
All DMs and ROs must take stock of the availability of such hired cameras within the district.
I'll need an assessment within a week.

Rules for Campaigning in Educational Institutions relaxed

Earlier, political campaign in school grounds etc were banned. Now it has been relaxed somewhat. The revised guidelines are as follows:-
-Academic calendar can't be disturbed. In other words, no campaigning within school hours; no special school holiday because some someone wants to campaign.
- School management agrees.
- SDO also permits: SDO's role is to see that permission is given equitably to all parties on request.
-User agrees to restore the ground to the condition as it was before using (ie, clean it and repair damages after use)

District Profile, DM Meeting and Commission Meet

The Election Commission is likely to meet DMs/DEOs, SPs and others in Kolkata on 19.3.2009.
I will hold a meeting with all DMs and RO (Kolkata North & South) in my office on 18.3.2009 at 3 pm; this has been discussed with and has the approval of Chief Secretary.

Before this, all DEOs may please send by 17.3.09, an Updated District Profile in the Commission-prescribed proforma that was circulated few weeks back (This report was furnished by all DEOs but in many cases several columns were blank).
-CEO

Data back-up for Manuscripts and EPIC

The data back-up for
(1) Manuscrpts for 2nd supplement
(2) -do- for Service Voters
(3) EPIC back ups
must reach CEO Office as the following schedule:
Ist phase districts: by 20.3.2009
IInd phase districts: by 25.3.2009
IIIrd phase districts: by 30.3.2009
-CEO

Communication Strategy: Daily Reports

On 9th March, we held the meeting on Communication Strategy with all districts.
We agreed that:
(a) For the official communication channel, there would be earmarked Communication Officers at the district, sub-division and block level and that daily reports in the general format "cumulative progress till last day/ progress during the day/progress till date" would be reported in given excel formats
(b) For the non-official PIN contact persons, relevant details would be finalised soon and uploaded in the cyberspace in given format so that we can have a dry run on 1.4.09
RO Kolkata Uttar is the first in giving the daily report as in (a) above.
Well done, C.R.Das !..... How about other ROs/DEOs ?
-CEO

ERO level standing committee

With approval of ECI, we are going to issue an instruction that each of the 294 EROs will form immediately an ERO-level standing committee of all recognised political parties. Their functions would be as follows:
1. To ensure transparency in the disposal of applications in forms 6, 7 , 8. 8A received by EROs/VRCs(in Kolkata/S-24Pg) under continuous updation
2. Oversee computerised tracking of the disposals so as to ensure that all applications received till one month before first date of nomination are accepted or rejected with clear reasons.
3. Take necessary supervisory action in respect of BLO-BLA meetings already organised or to recommend holding of further such booth-level meeting to DEO.

- We hope to issue the official circular within a day or two.
CEO

Burdwan and Hoogly: Examples of Great MCC Supporters !

Today (6.3.09) morning I saw in Anandabazar that there was a picture of a political graphiti on the walls of a Govt Building. I sent an SMS to DM Burdwan stating that a notice be issued by 3 pm that either the party erases the wall writing within 24 hours or else we file FIR in thana.

DM reports by SMS that wall writing is removed by 11 am; he sends me photo of cleaned wall by  3 pm through email.

Well done Manish Jain !! Is everybody seeing? How about our own district MCC squads, are they seeing?

***

 DM Hoogly> Maintaining MCC Violation Register party-wise>sending reports daily to me, from first date of press release > already intervened and stopped MCC violation in at least two cases.

Well done Neelam Meena. Are other DMs seeing?

***

CEO

6.3.2009

Meeting of ADMs/AddlDEOs & OC(Comm) in Kolkata on Monday the 9th March09

We'd asked for PIN/Communication details in prescribed proforma by 10.3.09. But 10.3.09 is a holiday. So we wish to have the report by 9.3.09. We also wish to conduct a quick workshop on information management so that we can build up a personnel infrastructure for daily reports on the following from every district:

- Daily instances of Model Code violation and action taken thereon

- Daily figures on EPIC distribution

-Daily figures on Continuous Updation

- Daily figures on Nomination (when it starts)

-Daily figures on Observer reporting (when it begins)

-Daily transmission of affidavits filed by candidates (when it begins)

-Other communication strategy

I will hold a meeting on 9.3.09 at 12 noon at our office.  Each district magistrate may please nominate (i) ADM(Election) and (ii) One Computer savyy OC(Communication).

For Kolkata: DLRS may pl nominate (i) Jt DLRS, Shri Sen (ii) One Computer Savyy OC(Communication); RO (Kolkata Uttar) may please nominate (i) Shri Saik Ahmed and (ii) One computer savyy OC (Communication)

-CEO,WB 

District Information Report: Missing Districts

In yesterday's (4.3.2009) VC, I requested all DM/DEOs to send the District Information Reports by today.

We don't seem to have received the reports from the following districts:-

1. Malda

2. Murshidabad

3. North 24-Paraganas

4. Kolkata

Defaulting DEOs must send these at once, please.

-CEO

District-Wise Information

We'd wanted district-wise information in a prescribed format by 25.2.2009.

The official letter of this office had memo no. 081/JSSG/ dt 23.2.09.

Only two districts* have sent the information so far.

I received a phone call from the Commission urging immediate reply.

All DEOs are requested to send the information to Shri S.Gosh, Jt CEO, by 3.3.09.

-CEO

*West Midnapore and Uttar Dinajpur

For DMs of Burdwan/Presidency Divisions

We are having a VC on 4.3.2009 at 12 noon through the ROT/SIT Terminals.

The VC has been fixed with Chief Secy's approval.

It seems that P&RD had planned a Divisional Review Meeting on 4.3.09.

I've talked to the Principal Secy, P&RD.

He has agreed that in the P&RD meeting of some districts scheduled on 4.3.09, DMs need not attend: AEOs may do so.

So all DMs and SDOs, BDOs, ADM(El), etc will please attend the VC on 4.3.09 as scheduled.

-CEO