Keeping Watch On All Developments: Poll Body After Pulwama, Air Strike

The Election Commission is keeping a tab on developments in the country after the Pulwama terror attack and the air strike on a terror camp in Balakot, a top poll panel official said on Tuesday. The EC is duty-bound to carry out the mandate given to it by the Constitution, Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa told reporters.

Mr Lavasa was replying to a query on whether the EC's schedule for general elections would be affected after the February 14 Pulwama bombing and subsequent government response to it. The poll officials held a press conference after reviewing preparedness in Maharashtra for the Lok Sabha elections.

The press meet was held hours after the Indian Air Force conducted an air strike against a terror camp in Pakistan. "The Election Commission does keep a watch on all the developments which take place. And we are duty-bound to carry out our mandate which has been given by the Constitution," Mr Lavasa said.

He said voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) would be used at all the polling booths along with EVMs in the state. VVPT is an independent printer system attached with EVMs that allows voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended.

On whether the EC plans imposing a ban on print media on taking advertisements on election day, Mr Lavasa said the issue of applying a "silence period" of 48 hours ahead of voting is being deliberated for some time now.

"Even in the conference of political parties held last year, this issue had come up. The ECI, after due consultation and examination, had made recommendations to the government for making an amendment in the Representation of the People Act to cover print media in the 48 hours silence period," Mr Lavasa said.