1283 candidates in fray for Phase-I
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 6: Twelve districts spread across all across three regions of the State would go to polls in first phase of Urban Local Bodies elections on October 8 for which the authorities have made elaborate security and other arrangements. Campaigning for the elections will end at 7 am on Sunday i.e. 24 hours before scheduled timing of voting.
The Municipal elections are being held in the State after gap of more than 13 years.
“A total of 30 Urban Local Bodies including all 75 Wards of Jammu Municipal Corporation and three Wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation will go to polls in Phase-I involving 422 Wards. A total of 1283 candidates are in the fray for first phase while 78 contestants have already been declared elected as unopposed,” official sources told the Excelsior.
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Besides JMC, seven Municipal bodies in Jammu, five in Rajouri and two in Poonch covering all bodies in three districts of Jammu region, will go to polls in the Phase-I of Jammu region. A Municipal Committee each in Leh and Kargil districts will also have voting on Monday. However, Municipalities of seven districts of Kashmir would go to vote in this phase including Srinagar, Kupwara, Bandipora, Baram-ulla, Budgam, Kulgam and Anantnag. Local Bodies of seven districts of Kashmir have been segregated to almost all four phases of polling in view of security reasons.
Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar told the Excelsior that Jammu district has maximum number of seven Urban Local Bodies including Bishnah, Arnia, RS Pura, Ghou Manhasan, Akhnoor, Jourian and Khour, besides the JMC, which will go to elections on October 8.
Kumar said the polling time will be from 7 am to 4 pm.
He said 584 polling stations have been set up in Jammu district including 505 for JMC along and 79 for rest of seven Urban Local Bodies in the district. He added that 40 Zonal/Sector Magistrates and 19 Micro Observers have been deployed to monitor conduct of elections.
“We will be web casting the polling in four stations,” the DC Jammu said, adding that 3000 polling staff and 5000 security personnel have been deployed for the smooth polling in Jammu district.
Sources said elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, which will also vote on Monday. Para-military forces and police have started area domination patrolling well in advance in the two sensitive districts for peaceful polling.
“Para-military and police personnel have been deployed for security of 61 polling stations in Rajouri district,” SSP Rajouri Yougal Manhas said, adding that polling staff has been well trained and deployed in advance to all polling stations. All senior civil and police officers were regularly conducting tours of polling stations and vulnerable areas.
Manhas said 56 Sections of para-military forces and 300 jawans of District and Armed Police have been deputed for election duty.
Four candidates including three in Thanna Mandi and one in Nowshera, both Municipal Committees in Rajouri district, have already been elected unopposed.
Rajouri district has five Municipal Committees including Rajouri, Thanna Mandi, Sunderbani, Kalakote and Nowshera.
Poonch district has only two Urban Local Bodies including Poonch Municipal Council and Surankote Municipal Committee. There are 58 contestants trying their luck for 17-Ward Poonch Municipal Council and 27 for 13 Wards Surankote Municipal Committee. However, four candidates have already been elected unopposed in Surankote Committee.
Leh and Kargil districts in Ladakh region have one Municipal Committee each named as Municipal Committee Leh and Municipal Committee Kargil. Both have 13 Wards each. Thirty-seven candidates are in fray for Kargil Municipal Committee and 29 for Leh Municipal Committee. The election of Urban Local Bodies in Ladakh region will be completed in the first phase itself.
Our Srinagar correspondent adds: Security has been put on maximum alert and round the clock check points have been established across Kashmir after killing of two National Conference workers in Srinagar ahead of civic polls, the first phase of which is being held on Monday.
Police and para-military CRPF have established nakas across Srinagar city and they are randomly checking the vehicles for any movement of militants. The security checks have been intensified after the killing of two NC workers and close aides of MLA Habba Kadal, Shameema Firdous by the militants on Friday.
In all poll bound Municipal Committees, security has been intensified and area domination is being conducted by security forces to give a sense of security to the voters.
District Election Officer (DEO) Srinagar, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, in the meantime, today told a press conference that all the arrangements were finalized to ensure free and fair Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections.
“We have made adequate security and other arrangements for the candidates as well as the voters,” he said.
He said that ULB elections will be conducted in four phases, saying that the elections in three Wards will be conducted in first phase.
“The nomination papers for three Wards, going for polls on Monday have been filed by eight candidates,” he said, adding that 35 polling stations have been set for the three Wards.
Shah said that 6,64,138 voters in Srinagar are going to exercise their franchise in the elections, saying that a total number of candidates who are contesting from 74 Wards across Srinagar are 275. He said that a total number of 843 polling stations have been set for the voters to exercise their franchise across Srinagar.
Appealing people to participate in polls, the DEO Srinagar said that voters can cast their ballots from 7 am to 4 pm on poll days.
“All the arrangements were put in place for the polls and special arrangements were also put in place for handicapped voters”, he said.
The DEO said that they are trying to ensure free, fair and fearless polls here for which all the arrangements were finalized.
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