There are allegations that senior government officials are soft towards the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). You have already shifted some of them, including one in the rank of deputy inspector general of police. Is it not an indication that a large number of officials have developed a partisan attitude?

It was the Election Commission which had initiated action against these officials following complaints. I have nothing to say on these allegations. I have just carried out the order. However, tarring all government officials with the same brush is not correct. They are aware of their responsibilities and duties.

Can you specify the charges against them or you have recommended action against them on the basis of hearsay?

It would be better if we don’t go into the details of it. The Election Commission’s order is mandatory and binding on all of us.

Allegations are pouring in about misuse of police vehicles and 108 ambulances for election purposes. It is being alleged that the ruling party is using them to carry cash to different constituencies.

There is no specific instance where we have proof of these vehicles being used for such purposes. We have enough mechanism to check such things. We have instructed officials to go for random check of the movement of ambulances. When we have suspicion, officials will follow the ambulance and once the patient comes out, the ambulance is checked.

Campaign is on in full swing. There are allegations that the electronic media is not giving equal air time in their news coverage to all the parties. Do you have a mechanism to check it?

We have allotted time to all regional and national parties in Doordarshan and All India Radio. Initially, the state unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was denied time, but later the mistake was rectified. In case of private channels, we have little role to play. They are all commercial channels. If a political party pays a channel more, their activities will be covered by it in a bigger way. However, we are keeping a track on the advertisements being aired. We are also keeping a tab on paid news. All the political parties have been asked to give a copy of their advertisements released to the print electronic media.

The first phase election is over. While in this phase Maoist menace was a major problem, what are the specific problems you are going to face in the coastal belt during the 2nd phase of polls?

We have enough forces to ensure that the elections are free and fair. Elections in the tribal areas had a different set of problems while elections in coastal belt in the second phase will pose different kind of challenges. The constituencies in these areas are politically hyper sensitive. We will tackle these problems as we are getting co-operation from all political parties.

Flow of liquor and money is a regular phenomenon noticed during elections that sometimes influences the voting pattern. What steps have you taken to curb this?

CCTVs have been installed in bottling plants and major liquor outlets. We are also keeping a tab on the sale of liquor. The period 48-hour prior to polling is declared a dry period. To check the flow of money, we have pressed into service flying squads; static surveillance teams, accounting teams and video surveillance teams. Besides, there is a 24X7 toll free number — 1950 — to lodge any kind of complaints about violation of model code of conduct.

Do you agree with me that the limit on election expenditure is nothing but a joke as political parties and candidates are spending much more than the ceiling prescribed for them? (An MLA candidate can spend Rs 28 lakh and an MP candidate Rs 70 lakh, according to the ceiling.)

There is no ceiling on expenditure by political parties. However, each candidate has to submit his expense accounts to the observer every three days. It is mandatory that the candidate makes an entry of each transaction on a daily basis and the register is submitted to the expenditure observer. The political parties are obliged to submit the accounts of election expense within prescribed time limit of 75 days in case of assembly elections and 90 days in case of Lok Sabha polls.

A number of voter ID cards were found dumped near a slum in Bhubaneswar. Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) machines have also been seized in Boudh. Taking these into incidents into consideration, will it be possible to check bogus or fake voting?

Let me tell you that someone had tried to create mischief by dumping voter ID cards. We are now trying to ascertain whether these cards were genuine or not. On the issue of EVM machines being seized, I can say that the political parties can use dummy EVMs to educate voters. We have already conducted three mock polls to ensure that everything goes well. To ensure that there is no bogus voting, voters’ slips are being issued for the first time. We have also brought out a list of absent-shifted-dead (duplicate) voters to curb the menace of bogus voting. Bogus voting is least possible as 97 per cent of voters have been issued a photo identity card.

You are one of the few women chief electoral officers in the country conducting the general elections this time. How do you feel?

Earlier, there were women chief electoral officers who had conducted the polls with all fairness. There is nothing special about it as you have to work under a system. The general election brings huge responsibilities. At this moment, I am just discharging my duties on the direction of the Election Commission to ensure that the polls are free and fair.

Being the chief electoral officer, do you subscribe to the views of the then election commissioner of India, T.N. Seshan, that “While I am here, it is I who will decide how elections are to be held. Politicians have got away with nonsense for too long?”

I am not the Election Commissioner. It was his view. I am the chief electoral officer and discharging my duties as per the direction of the Election Commission of India with sincerity and honesty. And being the chief electoral officer, I should not make any personal comment on other’s views.

You had started your career as a doctor but later switched to civil service. Do you feel it provides you the right platform to serve the public?

Civil service provides you the best opportunities to serve the people. The platform itself is unique and it brings rich experience.

Don’t you agree that medical profession also gives one the right platform to serve people?

This is history now. Why should one look back at history? Let us talk about the present. I am satisfied with my job and am doing it sincerely.

Tough cookie

• Straightforward and articulate, Mona Sharma is the chief electoral officer
• She did her master’s in medicine from Patiala Medical College, Punjab
• She joined the civil service in 1989. Before joining the civil service, Sharma had worked as a doctor with the Central Government Health Scheme for a brief period
• In her 20-year civil service career, she worked as the collector of three districts - Kendrapara, Bargarh and Sundargarh
• Before being posted as the chief electoral officer, she had handled key departments such as women and child development, tourism and culture, co-operation and agriculture

What would you have been had you not been a bureaucrat?

I had never thought of joining the civil service. Earlier, I had decided to become a doctor and accordingly I did master’s in medicine. However, destiny brought me here. After I did my master’s in medicine, I decided to take a plunge into the civil administration to accept new challenges. There is no looking back at this moment.