CEC arrives in Assam to review poll preparedness

Chief Election CommissionerSunil Arora and other EC functionaries on Monday arrived inAssam on a three-day visit to review preparedness for theforthcoming assembly election in the state, officials said.

Arora chaired a closed-door meeting with ChiefElectoral Officer Nitin Khade and senior police officers ofAssam at a city hotel in the evening soon after reaching here.

The CEC is accompanied by seven senior officials ofthe Commission.

The EC team on Tuesday would hold separate meetingswith the chief secretary, home secretary, director general ofpolice, district election officers and the superintendents ofpolice, officials said.

Arora, who will also meet leaders of political partieson Tuesday, is scheduled to address the media the next daybefore the team's departure from here.

Other members of the team are Election CommissionersSushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar, Director General DharmendraSharma, Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhusan Kumar,Senior Principal Secretary Narendra N Butolia Director ofExpenditure Pankaj Srivastava and EVM Consultant Vipin Katara.

Earlier, an EC team led by Dharmendra Sharma visitedAssam from January 11 to 13 to take stock of preparedness bothat the district and the state level for the assembly poll.

Election to the 126-member Assam assembly is due inMarch-April with the term of the current House expiring inMay.