Elaborate security arrangements have been made for polling for by-elections to Gorakhpur and Phulpur lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.
Around 65 companies of Central Para-Military Forces — 33 for Gorakhpur and 32 to Phulpur — have been deputed for the conduct of free and fair polls. Besides Central forces, over 11,000 state police personnel and officers have been deployed in Phulpur and 10,000 in Gorakhpur.
State Chief Electoral Officer, l Venkateshwar lu said in lucknow on Saturday that adequate security arrangements have been made for smooth conduct of by-polls in two the lok Sabha seats. He said that the polling would commence from 7 am and end at 5 pm. Polling parties have started reaching their respective booths.
lu said that the Election Commission has made arrangements for web casting of polling process from 95 polling booths in the two constituencies identified as critical.
In both by-elections, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would be equipped with VVPAT (voter verified paper audit trail) where voters could verify whether the vote has gone to the candidate whom he/she voted for. The Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System will be used to dispatch postal ballots to eligible service voters in the constituencies. As per Election Commission, 19.61 lakh voters in Phulpur lok Sabha constituency are expected to exercise their franchise at 2,059 polling booths, while 19.49 lakh voters in Gorakhpur lok Sabha constituency were expected to cast their votes at 2,141 polling booths.
There are total 32 candidates in the fray for the two by-polls which include three women candidates. There are 10 candidates in the fray from Gorakhpur, while 22 candidates are contesting from Phulpur.