Make your vote count today

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 23

The city will go to the polls tomorrow when voters will decide the fate of 203 candidates in the fray from 35 wards in the MC poll.

In view of Covid, the polling staff and voters will be given gloves, masks and sanitisers by the State Election Commission, UT. Thermal scanners will also be there for measuring the body temperature.

Can vote without voter card too

• People can download the Nigam Chunav app to check whether their name is on the electoral list. They can also check details regarding wards, polling stations and candidates in it.
• All those who have been issued an elector’s photo ID card can cast their vote.
• Even if they do not have the voter’s card handy but their name figures in the voters’ list, they can still vote by bringing any proof, including Aadhaar card, passport, pension document with photo, driving licence, PAN and bank/post office pass book with photo.

A total of 97 Covid patients will have the last one hour (4 pm to 5 pm) for voting along with other voters. Some voters and those on duty have, however, raised concern over the common one hour. However, officials said they would take care of it and provide PPE kits to patients.

The Election Commission will give a red carpet welcome to voters at nine model polling stations. “We will lay a red carpet at the nine booths. During the parliamentary poll, a pink carpet was laid at some booths,” said an official.

A total of 212 polling stations, comprising 694 polling booths, have been set up in different parts of the city. Among the booths, 220 are sensitive. Most of these booths are in the 13 new villages that were merged with the MC. Unlike the 2016 MC poll, there will be around 1,000 voters per polling booth. The figure was around 1,400-1,500 in 2016. Over 6,000 police and BSF personnel will be on poll duty. There will be 4,200 poll officers.

Tents, sheds for voters’ convenience

In view of Covid, the Election Commission has put up tents/sheds so that voters do not have to stand in long queues. They can wait for their turn in the enclosed area.

What you need to know

MC poll Dec 24
Polling 7.30 am to 5 pm (Covid patients to be allowed in last one hour)
Counting and result Dec 27
Total voters 6,30,311
Male 3,30,713
Female 2,99,581
Third gender 17
Total wards 35, Total polling booths 694, Sensitive 220