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| EC to review security, preparedness for smooth conduct of LS polls | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Mar 25: Ahead of Lok Sabha polls with challenging law and order situation in Kashmir valley especially in certain segments of south Kashmir constituency, the election commission is reviewing security to fine-tune mechanism for smooth conduct of the electoral process.
The polling for Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in five phases - April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, and May 6.
One of the top officials in the election commission told early times that effective mechanism is being fine-tuned for smooth conduct of the electoral process. "State level and District Level Election Machinery has been directed to meticulously coordinate all logistics arrangements for smooth conduct of elections. Officers have also been asked to ensure effective monitoring and vigilance," said the official.
Sources said that commission is reviewing the security and overall preparedness of conduct of the polls." A general review will be held to find the need for upgrading the polling stations declared as hypersensitive and sensitive in the state especially in the Kashmir valley," sources maintained.
Sources said that the election commission has already directed the Returning Officers (ROs) to hold a meeting with the concerned police authorities to find the need for upgrading the security level at polling stations from the deployment, which was maintained in previous elections.
Sources said that sufficient polling stations will be set up to enable voters to cast the ballot in the parliamentary constituencies of Srinagar Anantang and Baramullah.
In 2014 parliamentary polls, all the 1651 polling stations in Anantang parliamentary constituency were declared as hypersensitive. Out of the 1546 polling stations in Srinagar, 1021 were declared hypersensitive, 470 sensitive and 55 normal.
Sources however said that this time the ECI has asked for reviewing the need for declaring more polling stations in Srinagar Anantnag including Baramullah constituency as hypersensitive or sensitive.
Meanwhile sources said that the commission has directed the state administration to provide adequate security cover to the candidates. "In the wake of the increase in incidents of violence, extra vigil should be maintained for ensure free and fair polls,'' the commission has said.
One of the top officials in the CRPF said that the forces have conducted polls in the past peacefully and incident-free. "This time we are also hope full that election will also be conducted in a conducive atmosphere," the official said.
It is to mention here that two seats each will go to polls in the first two phases, in the third phase there will be one seat and in fourth one seat and in the fifth phase there will be two seats.
Sources said the South Kashmir, Anantnag seat will have polls in three phases. The seat remains vacant for more than three years after Mehbooba Mufti resigned and became Chief Minister. Though a by-election was scheduled for the seat in July 2017, the situation was so bad that it was cancelled.
The Election Commission has already appointed three Poll Observers including Noor Mohammad, A S Gill and Vinod Zutshi. |
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