The District Election Officer (DEO) Budgam, Dr. Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat, chaired a detailed review meeting today to assess preparedness for the upcoming Bye-Elections to the 27-Budgam Assembly Constituency. Senior officials, nodal officers, and Flying and Static Surveillance Teams attended the session at the DC Office Complex, Budgam.

The meeting focused on ensuring free, fair, and inclusive elections, covering law and order, logistics, staff training, accessibility for differently-abled voters, SVEEP initiatives, and IT-enabled monitoring. DEO highlighted the completion of house-to-house verification and issuance of Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) to achieve 100% voter registration for the 1.25 lakh electorate.
All 173 polling stations across urban and rural areas have been prepared with electricity, water, toilets, ramps, and signage, while special arrangements have been made for women, youth, persons with disabilities, and green polling. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units have been rigorously tested, with 8% earmarked for training purposes.
Training programs for Booth Level Officers, Presiding Officers, and election staff are underway under supervision of State, District, and Assembly Level Master Trainers to ensure operational efficiency. Expenditure monitoring, route surveillance, and preventive measures against malpractice were also reviewed.
The DEO emphasized leveraging IT applications like ETPBS, cVIGIL, and ENCORE for real-time monitoring, grievance redressal, and transparency. He directed round-the-clock supervision, strict adherence to Election Commission guidelines, and citizen-friendly facilitation to ensure a smooth polling process.
The administration affirmed its commitment to conducting peaceful, participative, and fully inclusive Bye-Elections in Budgam, reflecting the principle of “No Voter to be Left Behind.”