CEO has been bombarded by complaints over Unauthorized Political Display of Posters and Misconduct by Employees
SHIMLA: Election Department has received a staggering 813 complaints, with a mere 90% of them addressed.
Chief Election Officer Manish Garg disclosed today that following the announcement of general elections on March 16, 2024, and the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct in the state, the Election Department has been inundated with 813 grievances.
He revealed that through the National Grievance Service Portal (NGSP) and call center at toll-free number 1800-332-1950, 485 complaints have been lodged, while an additional 241 complaints were received through nodal officers of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) at the state and district levels, and 87 complaints were uploaded on the C-Vigil portal.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Garg stated that out of the 485 complaints received via the call center, 461 have been resolved, with 24 still pending investigation.
Similarly, of the 241 complaints routed through MCC nodal officers, 176 have been addressed, while 65 remain unresolved due to lack of reports from relevant departments and field officers.
A shocking revelation came with the 87 complaints on the C-Vigil portal, where 44 complaints were dismissed as either fabricated or submitted by vested interests for portal scrutiny.
However, swift action was taken on the remaining 43 complaints within the stipulated 100-minute timeframe.
It is concerning that despite the availability of various channels and resources to register grievances from different parts of the state, a significant portion of complaints remains unaddressed.
Garg emphasized that strict enforcement of guidelines is essential, particularly regarding unauthorized display of posters and banners, exceeding prescribed campaign durations, and misconduct by employees.
The highest number of complaints, mainly concerning unauthorized political displays and employee misconduct, have been reported from the Una district. Conversely, no complaints have been registered from Kinnaur, Kullu, and Lahaul-Spiti districts.
