Mysore/Mysuru: With the Lok Sabha polls round the corner, Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra, who is also the District Electoral Officer, has asked officials and other staff to strictly monitor the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) that comes into effect once the poll schedule is announced.

He was addressing officials at Duties and Responsibilities meeting to sensitise different levels of poll staff, at the ZP office here yesterday.

Pointing out that election officials who will be attached to  FS, SST, VST, VVT and Police sectors must take their job seriously, the DC said that they should understand the Election Commission’s (EC) directives and guidelines and follow them.

“ The officials must ensure that election expenses are regularly and correctly maintained by all the candidates contesting the LS polls. Also, they should keep a vigil on the poll expenses”, he said adding that the poll staff must concentrate on the conduct of impartial and fair polls.

Instructing the officials to send timely reports as directed by the EC, he said that the MCC teams, including Expenses Observers, Flying Squads and Video Surveillance, Video Viewing Teams and Static Surveillance Teams must swing into action once the MCC comes into force.

Stressing on the need for officials to carry out their assigned tasks honestly, he said that the officials concerned must be directed to pull down the names of Ministers and other elected representatives from websites and other public displays.

Continuing, Dr. Rajendra said officials must ensure drinking water, toilets and other amenities at all polling booths, he said that ramps must be erected at polling booths for the benefit of the physically challenged.

Asking the officials to start making arrangements for setting up of check posts, the DC said that overall, the officials must make all arrangements and preparations for enforcement of MCC.

ZP CEO K.M. Gayathri, who also addressed the meeting, said that no one should take poll related works lightly.

She stressed on the role of team work in ensuring fair conduct of polls.

MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dineshkumar, Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage Commissioner A. Devaraj and other officials were present.