11.95L voters to elect MLAs on Sonepat’s six seats

Tribune News Service

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Panipat, August 26

The bugle was sounded with the announcement of the Assembly poll by the Election Commission of India (EC) in the state. As many as 11.95 lakh voters would elect the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of six constituencies — Rai, Sonepat, Kharkhoda (reserved), Baroda, Gohana and Gannaur — in the upcoming elections on October 1.

All political parties as well as the district administration have pulled up their socks for the preparations of the elections. The ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is eyeing a third consecutive term in the state while the Congress is looking to wrest power from the ruling party. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) are preparing to get the power in the state.

As per details, the BJP has two MLAs in the district — BJP state president Mohan Lal Badoli is the MLA from the Rai constituency and Nirmal Chaudhary is the MLA from the Gannaur constituency.

The rest four constituencies in the district are with the Congress, including Surender Panwar from Sonepat, Jaibeer Valmiki from Kharkhoda, Indu Raj Narwal, alias, Bhalu from Baroda, and Jagbeer Malik from the Gohana constituency. Sonepat is considered to be a strong bastion of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

A total of 11,95, 492 voters, including 6,38,062 men and 5,57,397 women, will cast their votes to elect their nominees for six Assembly constituencies in the district.

According to data, a total of 1,94,330 electors, including 1,04,152 men and 90,178 women, would exercise their franchise in the Gannaur Assembly constituency while 1,97,980 voters, including 1,06,842 men and 91,130 women, would cast their votes in the Rai constituency. There are 1,76,454 voters, including 94,544 men and 81,901 women, in the Kharkhoda (reserved) constituency while the Sonepat constituency has 2,46,394 voters, which include 1,28, 217 men and 1,18,172 women. In the Gohana constituency, there are 1,92,890 voters, including 1,02,982 men and 89,897 women, while in the Baroda constituency, there are 1,87,444 voters, including 1,01,325 men and 86,119 women.

District Election Officer and DC Manoj Kumar said every vote was important in the democratic system and people whose names were in the voters’ list could exercise their franchise on October 1.

The electors, whose names are in the voters’ list, may vote with 12 ID proofs, including voter ID, Aadhaar card, driving license and passport.

October 1, 4 dry days

• Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar said the polling day, October 1, and counting day, October 4, would be observed as dry days and no liquor shop would be allowed to open in the district.
• The Election Commission’s guidelines, the sale and distribution of liquor would be prohibited at houses, liquor shops, hotels, clubs, pubs, star hotels, restaurants or any other public place for 48 hours in all Assembly constituencies, he said.
• The polling day on October 1 would be a paid holiday for the employees of all departments, boards, corporations, education institutes, factories, private business establishments and shops, and the polling would be from 7 am to 6 pm in the evening.