Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 28: In a major decision to check any kind of rigging or bogus voting in the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to provide 15,000 new Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to the State manufactured in Gujarat to cover all 10015 polling stations, which would be set up in the State.
The new and most modernized EVMs were equipped with several such features that were capable of detecting the rigging and bogus voting. The Election Commission office in Jammu and Kashmir would soon be conducting first trial of the EVMs.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jammu and Kashmir, Umang Narula told the Excelsior that Jammu and Kashmir will be getting all 15,000 new most modernized EVMs manufactured in Gujarat for the forthcoming Assembly elections. The new machines will be enough to cover all 10015 polling stations, which would be set up in the State in the Assembly polls, he added.
The Assembly elections in the State are due to be held in November-December this year.
Narula said the EVMs apart from being completely temper proof have a unique feature of displaying date and timing of start and closure of voting.
This new feature of the EVMs would nullify any attempt by anyone to temper with the EVMs or indulge in bogus voting.
The CEO J&K said the EVMs were equipped with entire latest technology and they would be used for the first time in any election in Jammu and Kashmir. He added that first level check of the EVMs would start very soon.
Umang Narula said the polling stations for all 87 Assembly segments in Jammu and Kashmir have gone up to 10015 as against 9633 in the previous elections.
Number of the polling booths has been increased to help the voters of far flung areas to exercise their right to franchise. Increase of 382 polling stations in the State would also go a long way in improving voter turnout in the upcoming elections.
Official sources said the Election Department of the State would even examine setting up of more auxiliary polling stations after completion of summary revision of electoral rolls and their publication on October 1.
“Once summary revision of electoral rolls, which is presently going on, is completed, the Election Department would examine whether there was a need to set up auxiliary polling stations in some parts of the State. If the need was felt, the auxiliary polling stations would be notified,” sources said.
They added that the Election Commission of India was going to hold a high level review of election preparedness in Jammu and Kashmir soon.
The ECI would hold meetings with all political parties of Jammu and Kashmir separately and security review and election arrangements meetings with top brass of civil and police administration in addition to the Election Department.
The final electoral rolls would be published on October 1, sources said, adding that an announcement for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be made in the middle of September.
The elections would be held in November-December. The Election Commission would devise schedule of the Assembly elections in such a way that the polling process is completed before snowfall in the State.
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