Six new polling stations proposed in Shimla dist

Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Election Officer (DEO) Anupam Kashyap announced that six new polling stations have been proposed in the district, while six existing ones have been identified for rationalisation. He was addressing a meeting on the creation of new polling stations and restructuring of existing ones, attended by representatives of various political parties.

During the meeting, detailed information regarding the polling stations was shared, and proposals were discussed in line with Election Commission guidelines.

25 new polling stations in Sirmaur

• A review meeting on the rationalisation, modification and physical verification of polling stations was held on Friday under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Sirmaur, Priyanka Verma, at the DC office. Representatives of political parties along with officials and staff of the Election Department attended the meeting
• The Deputy Commissioner said Sirmaur district currently has 595 polling stations. As per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, any polling station exceeding the prescribed limit of 1,200 voters must be rationalised. In line with this directive, it has been proposed to set up 23 new polling stations out of 26 that have surpassed this limit, while three polling stations will be adjusted

Kashyap said the new polling stations proposed include Government Primary School, Aahong, and Government Primary School, Dak Sharad in Chopal constituency, to ease voting access for elderly citizens. In Shimla (Rural) constituency, a new polling station will be set up at Government Primary School, Sunni, as the existing booth has voter strength exceeding 1,200. Similarly, in Jubbal-Kotkhai constituency, new polling stations will be established at Mandhol and Nandpur owing to high voter turnout, while in Rampur (SC) constituency, an additional station is planned at Government Senior Secondary School, Dattanagar.

Along with this, six existing polling stations in Theog, Kasumpti and Shimla (Rural) constituencies have been proposed for rationalisation. Under this plan, certain voters will be shifted to nearby stations for better management and convenience. The DEO further said that 14 polling stations housed in unsafe or dilapidated buildings will be relocated to alternative sites.

He stressed that voters must not face confusion due to changes in names or locations of polling stations. To ensure clarity, officials have been directed to mention both old and new names on voter slips.

Kashyap also instructed newly appointed Election Kanungos to thoroughly review voter turnout data from the last two Lok Sabha and Assembly elections before finalising the proposals. They have also been directed to physically inspect all polling stations, suggest suitable alternative buildings and ensure arrangements for strong rooms wherever required.

“These proposals will now be forwarded to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office, and the final list of polling stations will be published only after approval from the Election Commission,” he said.