J&K prepares for inclusive elections

Jammu, Aug 24: The J&K Election Department conducted a meeting of the director-level officers under the chairmanship of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Pandurang K Pole on Saturday at Nirvachan Bhawan, Rail Head Complex, Jammu.

The CEO reviewed the overall preparations of the polling stations to ensure the smooth and hassle-free conduct of the assembly polls, which are going to be held in three phases across Jammu and Kashmir beginning September 18, 2024.

The officers from the School Education Department, Higher Education Department, Public Works Department, Jal Shakti Department, Social Welfare Department, Forest Department, Agriculture Department, JPDL, and KPDCL and others were present in the crucial meeting which was held to discuss the Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) to be made available at the polling stations.

CEO P K Pole exhorted the officers present in the meeting to ensure the AMFs across all the polling stations.

He also directed the officers to send an Action Taken Report (ATR) along with the geo-tagged photos of the polling stations to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in a week.

There are 11,838 total polling stations including 2332 in urban and 9506 in rural areas with each polling station averaging 735 electorates.

The officers were also directed to ensure continuous drinking water and power supply including lighting facilities be provided by the concerned department across all the polling stations which are going to poll on September 18 in Phase-I.

They were directed that the sanitation and plantation drives should be taken well in advance in the premises of all the polling stations.

The availability of accessible approach roads at various polling stations located in remote areas and at the tough terrain and snow-bound areas across J&K also came under discussion and it was directed that both J&K Rural Development Department  (RDD) and J&K Housing and Urban Development Department would take required steps in this regard.

Additionally, the officers were asked to take care of ramp construction leading to a particular polling station to facilitate the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in voting and sufficient steps be taken well in advance by the departments.

The availability of Booth Awareness Groups (BAGs), Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs), and Voter Awareness Forums (VAFs) and their roles in attracting various voter groups in a particular assembly constituency were also discussed and deliberations were held to strengthen them at the booth level.

In the first phase, 24 assembly constituencies, both in Kashmir and Jammu divisions are going to election on September 18.

The notification has been issued for the Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, and Kulgam districts in the Kashmir division and Doda, Ramban, and Kishtwar districts in the Jammu division.

In Kashmir division, 16 assembly constituencies comprising Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, D H Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, and Pahalgam while in Jammu division, eight assembly constituencies including Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhaderwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban, and Banihal are scheduled to go for polls in the Phase-I of the assembly polls.