Rajasthan assembly polls: CEC Rajiv Kumar urges voters to exercise their franchise

Jaipur: Speaking on the poll preparations for the upcoming Rajasthan assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Sunday appealed to voters to make use of their voting rights and to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise. 

"It is requested that you come to exercise your voting rights. This is a request and an expectation from the Nirvachan Aayog. Our effort is to ensure that senior citizens, disabled people, women, and everybody including first-timers have full participation in the voting and we deliver a meaningfully inclusive, transparent and inducement-free election," CEC Rajiv Kumar said while addressing a press conference in Rajasthan's Jaipur. 

"In the last two days, we met all the political parties- nationally recognized parties and also had a detailed discussion with the enforcement agencies of the central government and the state government. Thereafter had a review with the DMs, SPS, IGs, DIGs, Commissioners and all the senior officers of the state government. They said free and fair elections should be ensured, deployment of para-military forces at critical polling stations," CEC Kumar added. 

The Election Commission team came on a 3-day tour in Rajasthan regarding the upcoming assembly elections. On the last day of the tour, the Election Commission held a meeting with the police and administration. After this, a press conference was held after the review meeting regarding the election preparations. 

The Election Commission appealed to the people of the state to participate in the great festival of democracy and cast their votes. Representatives of all the parties met the Election Commission and put forward some points before the Commission. 
There will be facilities for the elderly to vote from home. People with more than 40 per cent disability will have the facility to vote from home. There will also be a 'Suvidha App' through which voting can be done, said CEC Kumar. 
Earlier in the day, a voter awareness rally organized by the Election Commission was flagged off by CEC Rajiv Kumar in Jaipur ahead of the 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election which is expected to be held in or before December this year. 

A delegation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) spearheaded by CEC Rajiv Kumar arrived in Rajasthan on September 29 to review preparedness for Assembly elections to be held later this year in the state. 
The previous assembly elections in the state were held in December 2018, when the Indian National Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 100 seats, falling short by 1 seat to secure the majority mark. 

The Congress, however, formed the state government after an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party with Congress leader Ashok Gehlot becoming the Chief Minister. 
Assembly elections are scheduled to be held later this year in five states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.