Nearly two crore electors, including 415 transgender, are all set to exercise their franchise to elect 117 MlAs among the 1145 total candidates in fray for the Punjab polls on Saturday starting 8 am.
“We are all ready for conducting free and fair elections in the state,” chorused Punjab Chief electoral officer VK Singh and the state ADGP VK Bhawra, who is also the nodal offoicer for Punjab Elections.
Singh said that the Commission has made all arrangements “to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections in the state which is set to witness the most sacred epic battle of democracy tomorrow”.
He said that the total state machinery is working round the clock and for that more than 2.07 lakh employees and one lakh police officials are working.
“14,177 polling stations have been established and 31,460 EVMs are being used in this election…. The Commission has identified 786 critical polling stations and 23 constituencies have been declared sensitive constituencies as per the reports of the observers,” he said.
He added that 5573 trouble makers have been identified and 4200 people have been bound down to ensure free and fair elections.
Maintaining that more than six lakh first time voters would exercise their right of franchise on Saturday, Singh said that to motivate them further, all District Administrations are taking some unique steps like honouring them with certificates and mementos.
Singh said that for the first time, 45,000 police personnel have been given an option to exercise postal ballot via e-ballot system. “Till the last poured in, over 21,000, that is 45 percent had already exercised their right of franchise through postal ballot. It’s a revolutionary step as last time only negligible police personnel could exercise their right of franchise through postal ballot,” he said.
Briefing the media about law and order situation, Bhawra said that over one lakh police personnel would be deployed throughout the state and police parties would conduct thorough search to check the flow of liquor, narcotics and money to ensure free and fair elections.
It was due to intensive search that Punjab Police could make record seizure of worth Rs 80 crores and 416 illegal weapons have also been seized during this period, he added.
“All DCs and SSPs would be on their toes to check the incidents of distribution of liquor, narcotics and money for inducing the voters and raids would be conducted immediately on receiving information or complaints,” said CEO Singh.
He added that this time, record 1412 FIRs have been registered under Excise Act and 155 cases worth Rs 24 crore were referred to the Income Tax Department.