Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 10: Authorities today declared a record number of 178 polling stations in three districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua out of a total of 2108 stations as “hyper sensitive”, most of which fall in the border areas as the Election Commission ordered General Observers and Police Observers to keep strict surveillance on the situation in vulnerable areas.
Jammu and Kathua districts together accounting for 16 Assembly seats will go to polls in fifth and final phase of the elections on December 20 while Samba district with two constituencies will have polling in fourth phase on December 14.
Official sources told the Excelsior that out of a total of 2108 polling stations falling in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, authorities today categorized 178 as “hyper sensitive”, most of which fall along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC), 666 as “sensitive” and rest 1264 as “normal”.
They said deployment of para-military forces and police in the polling stations will be made according to categorization of the polling stations.
Jammu district has highest number of 83 hyper sensitive polling stations followed by Samba 68 and Kathua 27. Similarly, Jammu has 350 sensitive polling stations followed by Kathua with 184 and Samba 132. Again highest number of 791 normal polling stations falls in Jammu followed by 414 in Kathua and 54 in Samba.
There are a total of 1,224 polling stations in Jammu district, 625 in Kathua and 259 in Samba.
Eleven Assembly constituencies of Jammu district, five of Kathua and four of Rajouri district will go to polls on December 20 while two seats of Samba will have voting on December 14
Jammu, a border district had faced the brunt of cross-border shelling and firing in August and October this year, that left 15 people dead and over 100 injured. Pakistan shelling and firing had also badly affected Samba and Kathua districts with more than 30,000 people leaving their homes and taking shelter in safer places for about a fortnight. Apart from fatal and non-fatal casualties of civilians and cattle, a large number of houses and others structures were damaged in Pakistan shelling and firing.
The Election Commission has deployed General Observers and Police Observers in all segments especially those falling in the border belts and asked them to keep strict vigil on security situation, candidates and all other election related activities.
In addition to this, three measures including deployment of micro observers, videography of poll process and web casting of polling booths have been initiated to keep a tab on the polling, sources said.
More than 400 polling stations shall be covered by the three measures to keep a check on unscrupulous elements.
Nearly 20,000 security personnel will be deployed in Jammu district alone to ensure free, fair and violence free polling. All the polling stations of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts will have paramilitary forces deployed to meet any eventuality, sources said, adding the security forces are in the state of preparedness to check any infiltration.
Sources said that preparations for polling including Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), randomisation of polling officials, their deployment and training and plans for communication, transport, collection, distribution and counting are in place.
The Elections Observers asked Flying Squads and other teams to take immediate action and lodge FIRs in case Government buildings, electric poles or any Government property is misused for putting up of posters, pamphlets
As many as 33 flying squads, three static surveillance teams and 11 videography surveillance teams are on the job and tracking any movement of cash and liquor.
Voting has been completed in 49 of the 87 Assembly constituencies in the State in first three phases of polling on November 25, December 2 and 9. The fourth and fifth phase polling will be held on December 14 and 20. Counting of votes will be taken up on December 23.
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