Srinagar, Sep 16: The polling for the first phase of General Elections to Legislative Assembly for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled to be held tomorrow (Wednesday) in 24 Assembly Constituencies.
A total of 3276 polling stations have been set up for polling to be held in Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal Assembly Constituencies.
A total of 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote during the Phase 1 of the J&K Assembly Elections, including 11,76,462 male electors, 11,51,058 female electors and 60 Third Gender Electors. As many as 1.23 lakh youth between the age 18-19 years, along with 28,309 Person with Disabilities (PwDs) and 15,774 elderly voters above the age of 85 are also eligible to exercise their franchise in phase one.
There will be 24 polling booths managed by women, known as Pink Polling Stations, 24 polling stations manned by specially abled persons and 24 polling stations manned by youths.
Also, there will be 24 green polling stations in order to spread message about environmental concern and 17 Unique Polling stations. The purpose behind these special polling stations is to spread awareness among sections of society like women, specially abled, first time young voters to come forward and exercise their right to vote.
Till date more than 75,000 plants have been planted in the premises of all polling stations.
In addition to Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), the 12 types of documents including Aadhaar Card, MGNREGA Job Card, Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office, Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of the Ministry of Labour, Driving License, PAN Card, Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR, Indian Passport, Pension document with photograph, Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/State Govt/PSUs/Public Limited Companies, Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs and Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card, issued by M/o Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India will also be allowed to verify a voter and aid him in voting.
It is pertinent to mention here that EPIC card is NOT mandatory for voting. If some voter has misplaced his/ her EPIC card, any of the following documents can be used by him at the Polling Station and after verification. These documents are as follow:
Similarly, to ensure accessible and inclusive elections, Home Voting has been held for Persons with Disability with more than 40% benchmark disability as well as for elderly electors above the age of 85 years, for all those who had applied for the same.
More than 1600 journalists and cameramen of print, electronic and social media platforms have been provided with requisite pass to cover the polling process. Without compromising secrecy of vote and causing any inconvenience to the democratic exercise, they can cover the polling. Detailed instructions have been given to the journalists on the pass.
The Voter Turnout App will be used to display estimated provisional voter turnout details of each Assembly Constituency entered by the RO. The media can also use the same application to capture estimated voter turnout data. Approximate voter turnout data of each phase of the elections will be displayed through this app. There will be two hourly reporting of voting percentage from 9.00 am to the end of poll. The concerned ARO and RO will share the data with media accordingly. The updated figures shall also be placed in voter turnout app. These figures are always subject to, normally upward correction as the final confirmed figures are collected after receiving the statutory forms from all Polling Stations. So till these final figures are known, figures on Voter Turnout App are to be always tentative.
All 100 % Polling stations, (3276) in the 24 Assembly Constituencies will have CCTV type cameras for live webcasting to control rooms established at District and CEO office. Cameras will be positioned in such a way so that they don’t violate the secrecy of vote.
There are few polling stations which falls in communication shadow areas. Suitable alternate arrangements in the communication shadow areas by providing Satellite Phones, Wireless sets, and Special Runners etc have been put in place. All vehicles being used in election, have been enabled with vehicle tracking system (GPS).
Candidates and Political parties who need to obtain prior permission for campaigning purposes, can seek online permission on Suvidha app and Portal. Till date election officers have accorded permission for 2350 applications and rejected 363.
In the entire Union territory, from the date of announcement of Elections, material/cash of around Rs 123.45 Crore has been seized. These include cash, liquor, drugs and other freebees seized by Police Department valuing Rs 115.23 Crore, SGST/CT Department valuing Rs 5.29 crore, Narcotics Control Bureau valuing Rs 1.98 Crore, Excise Department valuing Rs 35.69 Lakhs and Income Tax Department valuing ¬¬Rs 26.01 Lakhs.
The public campaigning in all 24 Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase 1 has conclude at 6.00 PM on 16 September, 48 hours before the closing poll hour, also known as the silence period or pre-election silence. All campaign-related activity is supposed to be halted and no one, including citizens, journalists, politicians, would be allowed to partake in any election campaign related activity during this 48-hour-long silence period.
Holding public meetings, conferences, interviews has been stopped to give the voters a peaceful break from being influenced by campaigns so that they may make a considered decision while voting. Besides, political advertisement in print media can only be done only after prior clearance from Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC). Sale of liquor, even from the licensed shops, has also been banned.
To monitor various election related activities and also check MCC compliance, a Command and Control Room has been established at the office of CEO J&K in Jammu and Srinagar. Similar mini control rooms have also been set up at every DEO office which are functioning 24 x 7. All electronic media channels, social media platforms are monitored here, any violation so detected, is reported and the concerned RO/ ARO issues notice. Apart from looking for MCC violation, the Control room gets live feed from more than 100% Polling Stations and GPS vehicle tracking of all vehicles being used for poll parties.
As per the latest instructions of Election Commission of India, Special Polling Stations have been established for Migrant Voters of Kashmir Division. Total 24 special Polling Stations have been established for Migrant Voters of Kashmir Division, which includes 19 Special Polling Stations in Jammu, 4 in Delhi and 1 in Udhampur District. Special Polling Station-wise extract voter list will be with BLOs. Like all other normal polling stations, these polling stations will also have all basic facilities for voter.
The Chief Electoral Officer, J&K UT, has appealed the eligible electorates to participate in the festival of democracy by utilizing their right to vote for which the election authorities and the local administrations have put in place all necessary arrangements.
“The Election Commission of India is committed to provide all basic facilities on 100% polling stations and give better experience to voters. Voters are requested to participate in the maximum number in all-inclusive election of J&K Legislative Assembly” he said.
