439 booths vulnerable

Jalandhar, May 18

Special Central Para Military Force (CPMF), micro observers and webcasting are being ensured at 439 vulnerable polling booths of the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency. Jalandhar North and Phillaur top the list with most vulnerable booths – 70 and 62, respectively.

Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma, Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and SSP Navjot Singh Mahal said of the 1,863 polling booths in the constituency (at 1,130 polling locations) about 439 had been identified as vulnerable. As many as 62 vulnerable polling stations are in the Phillaur Assembly segment, 56 in Nakodar, 46 in Shahkot, 35 in Kartarpur, 26 in Jalandhar West, 38 in Jalandhar Central, 70 in Jalandhar North, 80 in Jalandhar Cantt and 65 in Adampur.

The officials said the CPMF would be deployed at a total of 573 polling booths. The Punjab Police would be deployed at 1,290 polling stations of the district. Webcasting would be done at 957 polling booths of the Jalandhar constituency.

They said micro observers would be deployed at 695 polling stations.

SSP (rural) Navjot Singh Mahal said: “At every vulnerable booth, as many as six to seven additional personnel are being deputed. While three to four persons will be from the paramilitary forces and two will be from the police force. All arrangements had been made to ensure that voting goes on smoothly at all booths.”

Police officials, led by CP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, held a special session for police personnel and paramilitary forces at the Raizada Hans Raj Stadium – from where polling parties were also dispatched. Instructions were issued to all personnel deputed at booths to ensure smooth conduct of polling.

Bhullar said 66 patrolling parties would patrol the city intensively, adding that 72 flying squads and 72 static surveillance teams were also keeping a close tab on the entire situation. Security had also been beefed up further with the installation of 28 nakas which would be supported by 22 gazetted officers. — TNS