EC launches drive to identify ‘critical’ polling booths

They have also been asked to keep a strict vigil on “undesirable” elements who may pose problems during the impending polls.

State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anita Karwal told media persons here on Wednesday that based on the vulnerability survey,the election authorities would identify “critical” polling booths.

“While classifying polling booths as “critical”,we will take into account the various parameters including the threat perception,background of candidates and the current crime situation in such areas,” she said.

Responding to a query,Karwal said due care would be taken for places where resettlement colonies have been set up for the post-Godhra riot victims so that they could participate in the election process without any fear.

There are over 6,000 riot victims camping in about 80 resettlement colonies set up in different parts of the state – most of them in Central and North Gujarat. The EC has already issued election photo identity cards (EPICs) to riot victims in these colonies.

The election authorities have also initiated measures to prevent the “misuse”,if any,of EPICs by political parties during the polls.

“We have instructed all the block-level officers (BLOs) to ensure that EPICs are distributed among the electorate without keeping the cards in their possession for long,” the CEO added.

She said the Home Department has been asked to direct the police to constantly check if any political parties or their candidates resort to “money power” to lure voters in the state.

The police have also been instructed to ensure that private licensed weapons are deposited with police stations. Till now,over 16,000 licensed weapons have been deposited across the state.

On April 30,as many as 3.63 crore voters – 1.88 crore males and 1.75 crore females – in Gujarat will exercise their franchise at over 42,281 polling booths to be set up by the EC.

The largest number of polling booths (2,024) will be in the Sabarkantha LS constituency,while the Ahmedabad (West) constituency will have the minimum of 1,388 booths.