Social media posts are being closely monitored: Chief Electoral Officer
Tamil Nadu: Chief Election Officer Archana Patnaik stated that social media is being actively monitored to prevent the spread of misinformation during the elections.
Releasing the Tamil Nadu Assembly Election Guide prepared by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Wednesday, Archana Patnaik said: “Voter turnout is low in urban areas. The Election Commission is taking several steps to improve this. Everyone should vote and fulfill their democratic duty.”
Special monitoring groups have been formed to verify the veracity of information and news released during the elections. Specifically, these groups are also monitoring social media posts.
Several structures have been established for this purpose, led by the District Magistrate and at the level of the Cyber Crime Division of the police. Complaints of election violations on social media can be filed directly or through the C-Vigil app.
We have received numerous requests from people to allow them to carry cash of more than ₹50,000 without documents for essential needs like business and medical expenses. We have brought this to the attention of the Election Commission. We have instructed officials to conduct audits in a manner that does not cause inconvenience to the public.
When transferring money for medical expenses, simply sending a WhatsApp text message with the patient and medical information is sufficient.
Although money taken for other reasons is sometimes confiscated, you can still file a complaint with the District Grievance Committee and get your money back by providing the required documents. Photo ID cards have been issued to 70% of those newly added to the voter list. Steps are being taken to issue them to the remaining people within 10 days.
The Election Commission has not received any complaints about cash payments so far.
We cannot prevent multiple candidates with the same name from contesting elections in the same constituency. Everyone has the right to contest elections. We have put photographs on electronic voting machines and ballot papers so that voters are not confused by candidates with the same name, he said. In the next session, Additional Chief Electoral Officer A. Sivagnanam said: This time, the serial number and part number on the voter information slip (booth slip) will be printed larger than usual. It will also have a QR code.
The Election Commission has created a system where no one can know which candidate a voter has voted for. Candidates can spend a maximum of ₹40 lakh during the elections. If they exceed this limit, they will be disqualified.
People over 85 years of age, the disabled, and those in custody can cast postal votes. He said that election officials wearing protective suits will collect postal votes directly from people infected with COVID-19 and in isolation. Police IG Chamundeshwari, former Chief Election Commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy, Press Information Bureau Director-in-Charge (South) V. Palaniswami, Chennai Director P. Arunkumar, and others attended the event.
Today is the last day to enroll your name in the voter list.
The last date for filing nominations for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is April 6th. The Election Commission announced that nominations can be added to the voter list up to 10 days before that date. Accordingly, the deadline for filing nominations ends on Thursday (March 26th). It has been stated that those who have attained the age of 18 by January 1st and wish to vote in the upcoming Assembly elections must submit Form 6 in person or online by Thursday.
