CEO reviews poll preparedness for Srinagar LSconstituency

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 25

Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, Shantmanu today reviewed poll preparedness for the Srinagar parliamentary constituency at a meeting in Budgam district. District Election Officer (Deputy Commissioner), Budgam, Mir Altaf Ahmad briefed the meeting about arrangements made for the first phase of byelections scheduled for April 9.

The Budgam Deputy Commissioner said 547 polling stations had been set up at 414 locations. He said of them, 411 were hypersensitive and 136 were sensitive. He further said the district had 4,56,276 voters, including 3,897 migrant voters, 9,492 SC/ST and 1,043 physically challenged, while as the EPIC (election photo I-card) coverage was 93 per cent in the district.

The meeting was informed that the first phase of the electronic voting machine (EVM) training had already been completed. The Assistant Returning Officers and the Nodal Officers appointed for the smooth conduct of the elections informed the meeting about various arrangements, including EVM training, communication, transport and other plans.

Meanwhile, preparations are on for the bypolls to the Anantnag parliamentary constituency of south Kashmir. It will go to the polls in the second phase on April 12.

In this connection, the first-level randomisation of the polling staff was made in the office of the District Election Officer (DEO), Kulgam. The DEO directed the controlling officers to ensure the deployment of the randomised staff for further training, which has already been issued. The presiding and polling officers were also selected during the process.

The Election Commission has appointed S Sahdev as the general observer for the Wachi and Shopian Assembly segments of Shopian district in the Anantnag constituency.