Mumbai, Sep 12 (IANS): As the ruling and Opposition parties are in the process of firming up their poll management plans for the forthcoming Assembly elections, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Chockalingam on Thursday convened a meeting of Deputy District Election Officers.

The CEO has also called for a virtual interaction on Friday with all District Collectors and Chief District Election Officers to review poll preparations for the 288 Assembly constituencies.

Sources at the Chief Electoral Office said, “There will be a review of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the updated voters’ list, status of polling material and district-level poll management, especially the availability of staff and security arrangements for free and fair elections.”

Further, the CEO will also take stock of district level preparedness for conducting counting in a smooth manner.

Sources said that the meetings will also review the District Chief Election Officers’ plan to set up polling stations in high rise buildings and cooperative societies with over 200 families.

These meetings are crucial as a senior Mahayuti minister two days ago indicated that the announcement for the poll schedule from the Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected around October 10 and polling is likely to take place anytime between November 13 and 19.

Further, the CEO’s meetings also came after the ECI held a meeting on July 9 in Mumbai to review the preparations for the Assembly elections.

In response to the call given by the state CEO and the ECI, Maharashtra has added 2.4 million new voters during the special drive conducted between August 6 and 20.

In view of this, the number of total voters in the state rose to 95.4 million, up from 92.94 million at the end of the Lok Sabha election.

Over 2.08 million applications for voter addition and 370,000 applications for name deletion due to death or duplication were received by the ECI during the special drive.