7,500 polling staff leave for 1,963 booths in Hoshiarpur

Hoshiarpur, May 31

For the Lok Sabha election to be held on June 1, about 7,500 polling staff have left for 1,963 polling booths of the constituency in 9 assembly segments of three districts. Returning officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal while dispatching polling parties from different centres gave necessary guidelines. She said polling would be held on June 1 from 7 am to 6 pm and the first 30 voters at all booths would be given attractive prizes.

She said all arrangements had been made for the voters at the booths and security arrangements had also been made. “Voting is our right and we have to use it by considering it as a responsibility. I appeal to all voters to definitely use their right to vote,” she said.

The Deputy Commissioner said in view of the elections, some important instructions had also been issued to be followed by all. Action will be taken in case of violation of the instructions issued under Section 144, she said.

In view of the elections, dry days have been declared from 6 pm on May 30 till the completion of the voting process on June 1 and on the day of counting of votes on June 4. During this period, liquor shops will remain closed. Candidates or their supporting leaders will not be able to put up any publicity material or banner within a radius of 200 m of the polling booth, while the party booths will be set up at least 200 m away from the centre.

After the election campaign ended on the evening of May 30, now there is a ban on more than five persons walking together even during door-to-door visits. The use of loudspeakers is prohibited. Campaigning through TV or any other medium is prohibited. Opinion and exit polls have also been banned. No political advertisement can be given in electronic media. She said the Election Commission was keeping a close watch on fake news and if anyone was found doing so, strict action would be taken against him.

District SSP Surendra Lamba while sharing information about security preparations said that nakas had been put up at every place, including inter-state borders, and continuous patrolling was being done. He said special security arrangements had been made at 400 sensitive booths and around 3,000 police personnel had been deployed in the district to conduct transparent, fair and fear-free election. Apart from this, 12 companies of paramilitary forces had also been deployed.