To take stock of the preparations for Bhagwanpur Assembly by-polls, slated on Saturday, Garhwal division Commissioner CS Napalchyal presided over a meeting with zonal magistrate, sector magistrate, zonal police officers and sector police officers at BHEl’s meeting hall on Friday. “Election is an important aspect of democracy. We all have responsibility to ensure that the by-election is free and fair,” he added.
The zonal and sector magistrates were directed to conduct inspection at polling booths under their jurisdictional areas frequently during polling. The presiding officers have been made accountable for things happening at the booth he would be in the charge of. The presiding officers’ diary that would contain time to time noting of the election is important for the election process, he said.
If any voter is taken ill during polling, ambulance should be brought in to send and admit him in the hospital. The polling teams are not allowed to receive any favour from the local residents. The polling officers should be on alert throughout their duty especially after collecting EVMs and having them deposited in the strong room. Garhwal Range IG/DIG Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal directed all the zonal and sector police officers to conduct inspection at their respective jurisdiction continuously during the election.
The policemen who have been deputed in the polling teams should remain with other polling officials and they should enter the polling stations together. No one will use private vehicle to reach the assigned polling booths, he added. The Government officers who have been deputed on election should take this election seriously and all of them should coordinate among themselves till the election process is completed.
The policemen were directed to remain vigilant at their assigned polling booths since the morning. In case of any irregularity at the polling booth, they should inform the control room or 100 number. No policemen and polling officers will enter the polling booth room without seeking permission from presiding officer, he added. Haridwar DM and district election officer Harish Chandra Semwal said that around 1.10 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in the Bhagwanpur Assembly by-polls.
The polling teams were deployed at their assigned polling booth from Collectorate Bhawan, Roshanabad on Friday. A total of 15 polling booths have been developed as model polling booth in the Bhagwanpur Assembly by-polls for the first time. At eight polling booths, web broadcasting will be telecast and one can see them through You Tube. A total of 36 polling booths have been demarcated as ultra sensitive. The sector magistrates have been directed to sign at visitor’s register wherever they would conduct inspection during polling. They will update the election control room about poll percentage in their jurisdiction every two hours.
The presiding officer would send voting percentage through SMSs. The presiding officers were directed to inform the sector magistrate if they find errors in EVM so that sector magistrate will deploy master trainer there swiftly ensuring smooth conduct of polling in the polling booth concerned, he added.
Haridwar SSP Sweety Aggarwal said that one additional SP, three circle officers, eight inspectors, 115 sub-inspectors, 50 head-constables, 700 constables, 200 home guards, 200 PRD jawans, five companies of PAC and five companies of Central forces have been deployed at various polling stations.
The police officers were directed to enforce section 144 of CrPC in the restricted areas strictly.
Aggarwal further said that along with local police, half section Central forces will be deployed at the ultra sensitive polling centres. We would deploy one sub-inspector there too to maintain peace during polling.
Six mobile teams have been formed and they will be deployed in the poll-bound areas. At inter-State border barriers, one sub-inspector, four constables, four PRD jawans and one section of central forces will be deployed on the polling day, she added.
On the occasion, the police officers were directed to take action against the violators of election norms during the electioneering. Apart from this, the police personnel caught negligent on duty will be punished too, she warned.