Now,call centre,website in all states for poll problems

The EC has got the required software prepared and sent details about infrastructure as well as manpower requirement to Chief Electoral Officers of all the states and Union Territories.

All the poll going and non-poll going states have been asked to open the call centres before the end of March.

Assembly elections are scheduled in Assam,Tamil Nadu,Kerala,West Bengal and Pondicherry in April-May. Kerala and West Bengal have already started their call centres.

An official said: “If the problem of any applicant is not redressed within a certain time period at the voter service centre or at the office of the district election officer,that person can freely register his complaint at the call centres by dialing 1965. Complaints regarding violation of code of conduct can also be registered.”

As per the ECI guidelines,action should be taken within a time limit on all complaints. Every district election officer will daily monitor pendency of complaints and quality of the response and satisfaction of complainants.

“We have started a call centre that functions round-the-clock (24×7). The response is very good and people are mainly complaining about electoral rolls,” said S Sisupalan,Joint Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala.

In other states such as UP,Election Commission officials have started the exercise for procurement of necessary infrastructure. “Call centres would be set up at election office in every district by the middle of May,” said Umesh Sinha,Chief Electoral Officer,UP.

“The mobile number or e-mail address will be the registration number of complainants,using which they can track the status of the complaints on the website,” Sinha said.

All calls from and to the call centre would be recorded for documentation and quality assurance purposes. Confirmation of receiving of complaint and action taken will be sent by SMS.