Feb 22 :Gearing up for the Lok Sabha elections and simultaneous assembly polls in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim, the Election Commission will hold a series of meetings begining from tomorrow.
The three-member Commission will hold discussions with Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta on the law and order situation across the country and availability of Central paramilitary forces to ensure free and fair polls.
The meeting with the Home Secretary, the second in a fortnight, assumes significance as sizable number of security personnel would be needed to meet the demand of political parties of holding the polls in minimum number of phases.
Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami and other two Election Commissioners Navin Chawla and S Y Quraishi will also meet Telecom Secretary tomorrow to augment communication network, a crucial input for the better election management.
The countdown for the Lok Sabha polls has already begun with the EC meeting leaders of political parties, followed by a meeting with Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs).
In the meeting with the CEOs, the Commission reviewed the progress in the preparation and distribution of photo-I cards, availability of Electronic Voting Machines and polling personnel, their training and observer management.
As part of efforts to ensure clean elections, the EC has directed the Chief Secretaries and the DGPs to transfer forthwith all officials posted at one place for over three years or deputed in their home districts and sought a compliance report by the 28th of this month.