Elaborarte arrangements have been made by the Election commisison for the free fair and peaceful conduct of the council elections for the 28 seats from the local body’s constituency on March 3. The 28 seats are spread in 57 districts of the state.
There are 105 candidates in the fray with over one lakh voters will exercise their franchise in 729 booths, of which 50 per cent are identified as sensitive and hyper sensitive. The elected representatives of the three tier panchyat bodies and urban local bodies constitute the election college for these elections.
Election Commission has already ordered immediate transfer of a senior official of Badaun district following complaint against him of influencing voters in the legislative council elections. Earlier on a similar complaint, the EC has removed the District Magistrate of Basti and Superintendent of Police of Hardoi and Jaunpur districts.
EC sources said that, the commission has taken adequate measures for free and fair polls of the polling. On the directions of the EC Central para military forces will be deployed in sensitive polling booths. Besides EC has also made arrangements for the webcasting of polling from the sensitive booths. The other measures include the deployment of magistrates in all the booths along with armed forces and appointment of general observers from out of the state and expenditure observers.
The ruling SP has deployed its senior leaders and ministers to supervise the poll campaign for ensuring the victory of the party candidates in all the 28 constituencies. In almost all the 28 seats there is a direct contest between the SP and the BJP candidates except for Rae Bareli seat where the Congress candidate is also in the contest.
Members of both the houses of the parliament are voters in these elections and there is no system of postal ballot except if the member is in jail. In 11 seats there is a direct contest between the SP and the BJP candidates while in remaining seats there are triangular or four cornered contest.