Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam district collector A. Mallikharjuna has directed officials to use new technologies like the Election Seizures Management System (ESMS) and the Suvidha app to ensure smooth and fair conduct of the upcoming general elections.
During a review meeting on Thursday attended by Police Commissioner A. Ravi Shankar, Mallikharjuna said all seized items cases must be registered in ESMS.
In line with this, officials of the Airport Authority, Port Trust, Income Tax, Customs, Railway Protection Force, and State GST were instructed to strengthen surveillance and register cases.
Solid coordination between enforcement teams and the police was also emphasised.
Mobile squads like FST, SST, VST, and VVT will work alongside existing Model Code of Conduct (MCC) teams in sensitive areas and polling stations.
Officials are to separately handle the granting of permissions for political meetings. These permissions must be applied for 48 hours in advance through the Suvidha app.
The district collector also addressed the facilitation of postal ballots for personnel involved in election duties.
Nodal officers have been appointed in each department to ensure these officials can exercise their franchise through Form 12 or Form 12D.
The meeting was attended by MCC district nodal officer and GVMC commissioner C.M. Saikanth Varma, along with senior officials from various departments like tevenue, police, forest, excise, postal, among others.
