Administrative officials in the districts of Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar have been asked to ready the infrastructure at polling booths and identify additional voting centres if required to conduct Assembly elections during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aariz Aftab, the chief electoral officer (CEO) of the state who held a meeting here on Thursday, asked the district magistrates and other officials to check out whether there were proper roads to, and electricity and drinking water supply and cellphone connectivity at the booths.

“The CEO has specifically mentioned that infrastructure at all booths should be examined and if any work is needed, it should be done immediately. He has also pointed out that additional booths should be readied in view of the pandemic,” said a source.

In the course of the three-hour-long meeting, Aftab also mentioned that in all those districts, the officials should try to come up with an error-free electoral roll that would be published on January 15.

“He said steps should be taken to remove names of duplicate voters or voters who have names at more than one place. The voter has to be assured his name will be in the electoral roll but not at multiple locations,” said the source.

After the meeting, Aftab said: “We have discussed preparations for the Assembly elections and publication of the final voter list. The electoral roll will have photos of all the voters.”