LUCKNOW : Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the fourth and final phase panchayat elections for the Khetra and district panchayat posts to be held in 74 districts of Uttar Pradesh tomorrow.
In view of the rising communal tension in some parts of the state during the Dusshera festival, State Election Commission(SEC) has also deployed central forces in some sensitive areas.
State Election Commissioner S K Agarwal also held a meeting through video-conferencing with the district authorities to review the security arrangments yesterday.
Over three lakh policemen would be deployed which includes 81,068 district civil police personnel, 4,676 inter district civil police personnel, 36,741 police forces from training centers along with 93,000 homeguards, and 1.05 lakh village chowkidars in the elections.
Besides, 141 companies of PAC would strengthen the security measures. Over 20 companies of Central forces are also deployed in the communal sensitive pockets.
Around 11,785 candidates are in the fray for the 843 district panchayat posts in 190 blocks. In Khetra Panchayat, 97,357 candidates would be trying their luck for 18,439 posts. In the final phase, as many as 2.71 crore electorate are expected to exercise their franchise at 42,513 booths to elect 18,439 khetra panchayat members and 843 district panchayat members of 190 blocks in 74 districts in the state.
The polling would be held from 0700 hrs to 1700 hrs and the counting would be done on November 1. Mr Agarwal said all preparations for peaceful polling have been completed and by and large the campaigning too was peaceful. He said that polling parties have started reaching their respective booths.
Barring Gautam Buddha Nagar, district polling would be held in all the districts. During the past three phases, total vote percentage was 62.8 per cent which was by and large peaceful. The first phase of polling was held on October 9, second on October 13 and third on October 17.
The polling for the village pradhan would be held after completion of the Khetra and District panchayat polls in November-December.
The polling in Gautam Buddha Nagar (GBN) district has been postponed due to some legal issues as per the UP Industrial Area Development Act and elections would be held there after a fresh delimition.
Altogether 77,576 members of the khetra panchayat and 3,112 members of the district panchayats would be elected in this election. (UNI)
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