Setting a target of increasing vote percentage at least up by 10 per cent in the State, the Election Commission of India said that adequate number of paramilitary forces and police personnel will be deployed during polling to the 13 lok Sabha seats in Punjab on April 30. In 2009 polls, the State’s polling percentage was 70 per cent.
Deputy Election Commissioner Alok Shukla, who chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparations in the State on Sunday, said that all necessary arrangements were being put in place to ensure peaceful and smooth polling.
The marathon meeting was attended among others by Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh, all deputy commissioners, all district police chiefs, police commissioners and revenue commissioners.
Shukla later told the reporters that vulnerable sections of the voters would be provided special protection so that they are not intimidated by musclemen and other influential persons.
Punjab’s Additional Chief Electoral Officer Supreet Singh Gulati said that 35 companies of paramilitary forces have already been put on election related duties and 147 more companies were expected to report in the State by April 26. A company has around 100 personnel.
Deputy Election Commissioner of India Shukla said that crucial arrangements like security, polling staff, observers etc have already been made foolproof in the State.
He said that the CEO office has been successfully motivating the voters to cast their votes by adopting innovative measures like an appreciation letter to all first time voters and incentives on food or stay in hotels etc in cities across the State.
Emphasising the need to set up model polling stations in the State, Shukla asked the DEOs to ensure the facility of drinking water, wheelchairs for specially-abled persons, sheds and queue management etc. “Every sensitive polling station in the State should be covered by either webcasting, videography or micro observer for smooth conduct of polling,” he added.
To ensure the casting of vote of all eligible voters, he asked the officials to ensure that the BlO should take the receipt of voting slips from voters after handing over the slip to them.
Addressing the police officials, Shukla said that demand of security personnel should be made only according to the realistic need and the ECI would provide the sufficient security staff for all parliamentary constituencies.
Talking about the deployment of paramilitary forces in the State, the Deputy ECI clarified that these forces should only be used for election duty and not for law and order maintenance. He has also instructed the DEOs to personally monitor the training of polling staff.
Replying a query about the announcement of sensitive and hyper-sensitive parliamentary constituencies in the State, he said that it would be decided on the reports of DEOs and Observers.
Talking about the distribution of atta-dal in the State, he said the ECI has already made it clear that there was no ban on distribution of atta-dal but it should only be distributed by the ration depots and not by the political persons or Government officials.
Preparations on song
35 companies of paramilitary forces have already been put on election duties 147 more companies were expected to report in State by April 26
Innovative measures like an appreciation letter to all first time voters and incentives on food or stay in hotels etc in cities across the State
Crucial arrangements like security, polling staff, observers etc have already been made foolproof in the State
Every sensitive polling station in the State should be covered by either webcasting, videography or micro observer for smooth conduct of polling