58 polling booths hypersensitive

LUDHIANA: All resources of the district administration were mobilised for the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls on Tuesday. Poll material, including ballot boxes, was sent to the respective polling stations and the staff were assigned duties at different centres, including Khalsa College for Women and SCD Government College.

Election duty staff take poll material to their polling station for the Zila Parishad elections in Ludhiana. Himanshu Mahajan

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 18

All resources of the district administration were mobilised for the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls on Tuesday. Poll material, including ballot boxes, was sent to the respective polling stations and the staff were assigned duties at different centres, including Khalsa College for Women and SCD Government College.

Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Pardeep Kumar Agrawal stated that a total of 11,60,751 voters would cast vote. In the areas that fall under the jurisdiction of Police Commissionerate, 13 booths are hypersensitive and 128 sensitive, for which 3,159 staff have been deputed. At Jagraon, 24 booths are hypersensitive and 66 sensitive, for which 1,571 staff have been deputed. At Khanna, 21 booths are hypersensitive and 76 sensitive, which will be looked after by 1,012 staff. The DC said 10,300 civil personnel had been put on polling duty and 1,200 on counting duty.

Carrying of weapons of all kinds has been banned in the district and these have to be deposited at the nearest police station immediately. These orders would remain in force till September 23.

The Deputy Commissioner also stated that dry days would be observed on September 19 and 22, and that all liquor vends would remain closed on these two days.

On these days, no hotel, restaurant, club, etc, would be allowed to serve liquor on its premises. No person can store liquor on these days as well.

Agrawal further said these orders had been issued to maintain law and order in view of the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.

A public holiday in view of the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections has been announced by the state government for all government offices, boards, corporations and educational institutions on Wednesday.

Urging voters to exercise their right to vote in a free and fair manner, he assured that ample security arrangements had been made for a smooth conduct of the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.