District Election Officer/Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve chaired a meeting in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in the video conferencing room of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on March 26.

The eight-point agenda of the meeting included distribution of Electronic Photo Identity Cards (EPICs), polling stations and Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF), Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation Programme (SVEEP) campaigns, Electoral Rolls status, identification of Persons with Disabilities and more than 85 electors for postal ballot facility, addition/deletion/correction after the announcement of elections, vulnerability mapping, and absentee/shifted/deceased (ASD) list.

DC, Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve instructed the Sub Divisional Magistrates and Tehsildars of the Leh district to ensure the distribution of Electronic Photo Identity Cards. He asked them to conduct random checks at the polling stations and in the villages to ensure that the voters have received the Electronic Photo Identity Cards. Along with this, he instructed them to visit the villages to oversee the reasons for low electoral roll, check the facilities at polling stations, and spread awareness about SVEEP.

Furthermore, he said that all the polling stations should have the facilities under Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF), mainly ramp, drinking water, toilet facility, and electricity. To ensure an increase in voter percentage, he asked the SDMs and Tehsildars to identify Persons with Disabilities and more than 85 voters so that they can be given the option of postal ballot.

In view of the low voter turnout in the last elections, DC, Leh, set a target of 80 percent for the upcoming election and said that the percentage should not go below 75 percent. He asked them to ensure that there is maximum voter turnout in their divisions.

Additionally, the SDMs and Tehsildars acting as Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AERO) raised their concerns regarding issues related to the polling stations.

DC, Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve assured them that he will talk to the concerned departments to provide immediate solutions. A review meeting will be held again in the first week of April as instructed by DC, Leh, Santosh Sukahdeve.

The meeting was attended by the Electoral Registration Officer/Additional District Commissioner, Leh, Ghulam Mohd (JKAS), Nodal Officer, SVEEP, Leh, Tajamul Ara, and all the SDMs and Tehsildars of the sub-divisions.