Contingency plan prepared in Poonch district for May 25 election

Poonch, May 18

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Authorities in the Poonch sector, which lies close to the Line of Control (LoC), have prepared a contingency plan to shift polling officials and voters in the event cross-border firing on the polling day.

Poonch district, which comes within the ambit of the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, is scheduled to vote on May 25. “There are a total of 474 polling stations in the district. Poonch comprises three Assembly segments — Mendhar, Haveli and Surankote. Of the 474 stations, 54 are in long-arm shelling range, that is, 0-5 km from the LoC. Over two dozen odd stations are in the short-arm range, 0-1 km and 12 are across the fence,” Poonch District Election Officer Yasin Choudhary said.

“We have prepared a contingency plan for these polling stations, which is a standard practice during elections. In districts located on the LoC, there remains a possibility of cross-border shelling and retaliatory fire,” he added.

Sharing details, the poll official said: “The SOP requires us that all polling stations in that range and all the bunkers which are close by be tagged. This enables the polling staff, security personnel and voters gathered at the polling stations to take refuge in the event of shelling from across the LoC,” Choudhary said.

“We have designated an alternate polling station in anticipation of continued shelling,” he said.