Polling parties arrived at the polling stations for voting of local body polls scheduled to take place on Sunday. Strict security arrangements have been put in place around polling stations in order to ensure peaceful conduct of polling. Urban residents would elect six mayors and 28 municipal board and chairmen for 35 town areas along with councillors.
In the State capital, 10 inspectors, 85 sub inspectors, more than 800 home guards, and woman PAC personnel have been deployed. Special contingents of police would also carry out patrolling during voting. Security personnel have been asked to be extra vigilant at sensitive and hypersensitive polling booths.
A total of 130 buses were pressed into service to transport the polling parties to the polling stations. In the periphery of 200 metre, nobody would be allowed entry with campaigning material. Superintendent of Police (City) Jagdish Chandra and SP (rural) Mamta Vohra have been shouldered with responsibility of security arrangements. He held a meeting with the officials and directed them not to speak to any of the candidates.
The senior officials directed that they should pass on information immediately to them in case of any problem during polling. Apart from the senior officials, vehicles holding pass would be allowed entry to the premises of the polling centre. The vehicles not holding passes would not be allowed entry.
The administration has also made arrangements to replace the electronic voting machines (EVMs) immediately those develop technical snag. The returning officers would posses extra EVMs and soon after receiving information of technical snag they would reach the booth with EVMs and replace the EVM with the new one.
The polling parties were dispatched from Rishikesh, Parade Ground, Chakrata Road, Vikas Nagar, and Sahaspur. The polling centres were sealed in the evening after thorough checking by the poll parties. The polling centres would be opened in the morning sometime before commencement of the polling.
Camera, mobile, bag and any sort of weapons would not be allowed on the premises of the polling centres. The security personnel have been asked to take strict action in case any person being found violating orders. Police officials would also carry out inspection at sensitive polling stations. Voting for six mayor seats, including Dehradun, Roorkee, Haldwani, Kashipur, Haridwar and Rudrapur, 28 municipal boards and 35 town areas along with the posts of councilors will take place on Sunday.
Moreover, district magistrate and senior superintendent of police carried out inspection at various polling booths. He directed the officials to ensure peaceful polling. Similarly, the senior officials in other districts carry out inspection in the areas where polling will take place in the morning.