Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 11: As the campaigning for Srinagar Parliamentary constituency where around 17.5 lakh voters are enrolled ended today security has been intensified to ensure smooth and peaceful polling.
The campaign for the fourth phase concluded at 6 pm here today, 48 hours before the conduct of the elections on May 13. “No one, including citizens, journalists, politicians, would be allowed to partake in any election campaign related activity. Holding public meetings, conferences and interviews have been stopped”, read a statement issued by the Chief Electoral Officer.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Srinagar has 17,47,810 voters enrolled, including 8,75,938 male and 8,71,808 female besides 64 third gender electorates. “There are around 11682 Persons with Disability and 705 persons above the age of 100 years who will also be exercising their franchise”, read the statement.
Inspector General of Kashmir V K Bhirdi said that elaborate security arrangements have been made for the polls.
He said security deployment has been made as per the prescribed format of Election Commission of India (ECI). “We are following ECI guidelines and ensuring that security arrangements are foolproof,” he said.
Around 2,135 Polling Stations have been set up across 5 districts of Srinagar, Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal and Shopian. Over 8,500 polling staff, including reserves, will be deployed on duty on the polling day.
The voting will take place from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm and before that there will be a mock poll in the Polling Stations in presence of the polling agents. Also, the voting will continue even after 6.00 pm, if the voter’s queue is still there in the Polling Station premises to exercise their right to vote.
There will be 20 pink polling booths managed by women, 18 manned by specially-abled persons and 17 by youths. Also, there will be 21 green Polling Stations in order to spread messages about environmental concern.
Aimed at to facilitate the voters in identification and increase voter turnout ratio, all voters have been provided with voter information slip with all requisite information like Polling Station name, date and time of poll, serial number of voter in the list, his full name, QR code but not the photograph of the voter.
In addition to the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), 12 types of documents will also be allowed to verify a voter and allow him to vote. The requisite documents included Aadhaar Card, MGNREGA Job Card, Pass books with photograph, Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of the Ministry of Labour, Driving License, PAN Card, Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR, Indian Passport, Pension document with photograph, Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/StateGovt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies, Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs and Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card, issued by Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry.
All Polling Stations have CCTV cameras for live webcasting to the control rooms established at the District and CEO office. There are few Polling Stations which falls in communication shadow areas where alternate arrangements by providing Satellite Phones, Wireless sets and Special Runners have been put in place in around few polling stations which fall in communication shadow areas.
To monitor various election related activities and also check MCC compliance, a Command and Control Room has been established at CEO office, Jammu with similar mini control rooms at every DEO offices which are functioning 24 x 7. Apart from looking for MCC violations, the Control room gets live feed from more than 100% Polling Stations and GPS vehicle tracking of all vehicles being used for poll parties.
Special Polling Stations have been established for migrant voters of Kashmir Division.
A total of 26 Special Polling Stations have been established for migrant voters with 21 Polling Stations in Jammu, 4 in Delhi and 1 in Udhampur District respectively. Special Polling Station-wise extract voter list will be with BLOs.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
