As the polling would start at 8 am on Wednesday, 13,02,562 voters from Haridwar district, including 90 transgenders, are expected to cast their votes to elect their representatives for 11 Assembly seats. There are 106 candidates in the fray. The district authorities claimed that they had made elaborate bandobast at 1638 polling booths spread over the district. The process of dispatching the polling tams from Vikas Bhawan started at 8 am on Tuesday. They kept coming to take charge of the respective booths till the evening.
Speaking to The Pioneer, district magistrate SA Murugeshan said on Tuesday, “The areas falling under the district have been divided into 23 zones and 143 sectors. We started dispatching polling teams from 8 am in the morning. Randomisation of 1801 polling teams was conducted booth-wise and 168 have been kept in reserve. There are many firsts in the polling this time like the use of VVPAT machines at BHEl Ranipur constituency. There would be webcasting facility at 22 booths for doing video recording to keep a tab on the activities happening there.”
Besides, 335 vehicles would be used in election duty to facilitate the movement of the paramilitary forces and officials of the communication department. In all, 8150 cops would be deputed to ensure peaceful poling, said the SSP.
“The paramilitary forces would be deployed at the vulnerable, sensitive and critical areas while 711 centres would be under the vigilance of police and the home-guards. The polling areas have been earmarked in different categories - 95 as vulnerable, 59 as critical and 162 as special troubles- where we would ensure extra security, he informed”
The village watchmen would also be deputed and they would be given Rs 150 per day. A total of 417 village watchmen have been put on duty for the polls, SSP added.