EC stresses inclusive voting in border areas during W Champaran visit

Patna:
Election commissioner Vivek Joshi
on Sunday held a review meeting at Valmikinagar in
West Champaran
with officials of the
Sashastra Seema Bal
(SSB), environment, forest and climate change department, and the district administration.
The SSB, through a PowerPoint presentation, highlighted its surveillance and security efforts along the India-Nepal border.
Following the presentation, Joshi discussed the region's socio-geographic and cultural landscape and emphasised the need to ensure effective participation of border-region electors through a coordinated strategy.
Joshi directed the SSB to enhance coordination with the district administration and local police and to further strengthen surveillance mechanisms to ensure peaceful, fair, and inclusive elections.
He also noted that the additional manpower available with the SSB could be effectively utilised for election-related duties.
Accompanied by DM, West Champaran, Dinesh Kumar Rai, the election commissioner later visited polling stations nos. 14, 15, 16, and 17 at the Govt Middle School, Bagaha-2, under the Valmikinagar assembly constituency. Joshi interacted with booth level officers (BLOs) and discussed voter participation and the impact of recent training.
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Joshi arrived in the state on Friday on a four-day visit to review the preparations for the assembly elections due later this year.
Following his visit to Valmikinagar, the election commissioner proceeded to East Champaran (Motihari) district. He will return to New Delhi on Monday via Vaishali and Patna.

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