Over 6 L voters to exercise franchise in Jammu district

Special booths for migrants, COVID SOPs in place: Govt

Jammu: More than six lakh voters will be exercising their franchise across Jammu district in eight phases of first ever District Development Council elections starting from December 1.
However, the State Election Commission has also directed special booths for migrant voters while the COVID guidelines are put in place for a smooth election process.
Official sources in the Office of the J&K Chief Electoral Officer here said that 6,05,715 voters in total will participate in electoral process including 3,15,107 male voters and 2,90,608 female voters in the eight phases from 14 constituencies of Jammu District.
Sources said that in Akhnoor Constituency (P-1) there are 79 polling stations having 36696 total voters while from Maira Mandrian Constituency (P-1), total voters are 28087 and 70 polling stations are established.
The Bhalwal Bharmana Constituency will go to polling in Phase-2 and have 101 polling stations with 45145 voters.
The Bhalwal Constituency (P-3) will have 90 polling stations and 46952 total voters, Marh (P-3) will have 116 polling stations and 57740 total voters, said an official.
He further said that in Dansal (P-4), total voters are 41274 and will have 95 polling stations whereas Nagrota (P-4) will have 83 polling stations with 31657 voters and Mandal Phallian (P-5) will have 87 polling stations and total 44831 voters.
Meanwhile Miran Sahib (P-5) will have 96 polling stations and total 50300 voters followed by Arnia (P-6) with 70 polling stations having 36376 voters, Bishnah (P-6) having 94 polling stations and 47784 voters in total.
The official further said that another border village R S Pura (P-7) will 83 polling stations with 40705 voters, Suchetgarh (P-7) to have 85 polling stations with 44769 voters and Khour (P-8) will have 114 polling stations with 53399 voters.
However, in all 1263 polling stations have been established across the Jammu District, said an official.
He also said that the State Election Commissioner has put the necessary COVID Protocols in place for ensuring safe District Development Council polls in the Union Territory.
The SEC K K Sharma on Thursday directed the Officers to ensure foolproof mechanisms for ensuring strict adherence to the already set Covid-19 protocols so that the voters do not feel any hindrance in coming out to vote.
He said that the health department and the district administration should synergize their efforts to ensure successful and safe conduct of the upcoming DDC elections.
It was also given out that sanitization of polling stations and counting centers would be done before the polling date and afterwards as well.
The meeting was also told that availability of all protective and sanitization equipment like alcohol based sanitizers, non-contact thermometers, facemasks , face shields and PPE Kits has been ensured at the polling stations as well as for the staff and the voters.
Meanwhile Sharma said that special polling stations for Kashmiri Migrants will also be set up at Jammu and Udhampur so that they can effectively exercise their right of franchise.
The SEC said, “we have to ensure that every section of society is provided an ample opportunity of exercising their right to vote so that they can also participate in these historic elections meant to strengthen democracy at grass root levels.”
It was also given out that those registered in Jammu will vote at the designated polling stations at Jammu and those at Udhampur would be voting at polling stations set up in that district.
SEC asked DPEOs for ensuring timely dispatch of ballot papers to these polling stations and related election material.
Relief Commissioner has been appointed as Nodal officer for conducting and providing necessary infrastructural support for setting up of these polling stations and polling parties.
The SEC asked IGP Jammu for making the requisite security arrangements including arranging police parties for these polling stations.
The first-ever DDC polls are set to begin next week and political activities in the region, which had come to a halt since last August when the Centre revoked the erstwhile state’s special status under Article 370, have gained momentum.
Election Commission on November 4 announced that DDC polls will take place in the Union Territory (UT) in eight phases from December 1.
However, by holding DDC elections, the J&K government wants to complete the three-tier system of Panchayat Raj.
Prior to the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, J&K did not have a three-tier Panchayat Raj system.
Under the new mechanism, each district will be divided into 14 territorial constituencies by the respective deputy commissioners for electing their representatives.
These representatives will then elect from among themselves the chairman and vice-chairman of these councils, which are set to become the new units of governance in the region.