Over 580 polling stations to be set up in Jammu for four-phased local body elections

Jammu: As many as 584 polling stations will be set up in Jammu where the first phase of the four-phased local body elections will take place on 8 October, officials said on Saturday. A total of 4,42,159 electorate will vote to elect their representatives among 743 candidates at 584 polling stations including 505 polling stations for municipal corporation Jammu and 79 for municipal committees, district election officer, Ramesh Kumar told reporters in Jammu. [caption id=“attachment_5191761” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] While 447 candidates are in the fray for the 75 wards of municipal corporation Jammu, 296 candidates are trying their luck in the 79 wards of seven municipal committees. A total of 422 wards spread over various districts of Jammu and Kashmir are going to polls in the first phase. Kumar said the district administration Jammu has made foolproof security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the polls. Adequate security would be deployed at the identified hypersensitive and sensitive polling stations, he said, adding that micro observers have also been appointed to monitor 46 hyper-sensitive polling stations. The voting will be from 7 am to 4 pm, he said. For the first time, electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in the polls, for which proper training has been imparted to the polling staff. Kumar, who is also the district development commissioner, said a joint control room of police and civil administration has been set up for the smooth flow of election related information. He said the administration has declared October 8 as a holiday in the poll bound areas to ensure maximum voter turnout. Earlier, the DEO reviewed the arrangements by the district administration for the smooth conduct of the elections in a meeting. A detailed discussion was held on various issues pertaining to enforcement of model code of conduct, functioning of zonal and sectoral magistrates and observers, deployment of manpower and election material for polling stations. Transport management, dispatch of polling parties, communication plans, collection centre, counting plan and poll day arrangements, communication plan and monitoring besides security arrangements and maintaining law order also came up for detailed discussion during the meeting, an official spokesman said.