THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, May 11: A fleet of 213 polling parties along with the sector magistrates, micro-observers and security forces rolled out today for an equal number of polling stations in Palamu Lok Sabha seat voting which is due on May 13.
Returning Officer Shashi Ranjan said on May 12 we will be dispatching the remaining 1257 polling parties.
He guaranteed free and fair elections. He said he and his team would prove it. He sought the cooperation of the voters.
The 213 polling parties that embarked on poll duty today, 2 days ahead of the actual voting day May 13, are 47 for the Daltonganj assembly constituency, 12 for Bishrampur, 97 for Chhaterpur and 57 for the Hussainabad constituency.
SP Reeshma Ramesan said rakes of trains of security forces are arriving. Three rakes of trains came in the last 24 hours and this evening two more rakes of trains carrying forces are arriving at the Daltonganj railway station.
She said a fairly large number of lady cops has been given. They are being deployed at a maximum of polling stations.
Reeshma Ramesan said one CISF official had developed some health issue at our Ramgarh police station and was first rushed to MMCH Daltonganj and on his getting stable was taken down to RIMS Ranchi. He is said to be stable there.
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Returning officer Shashi Ranjan said we have a dedicated team of engineers of the EVM who will in the event of any glitch or trouble with the EVM deal with it in strict adherence to the protocol for the EVMs as laid by the ECI.
Shashi Ranjan said the replacement of the faulty or non-working EVMs will be again in strict adherence to the EVM replacement protocol but it is to be faster.
The Returning officer made it clear when he said, “Poll officials holding EVM polled or empty in government vehicle will be overseen through GPS by us. The administration will be tracking them without any flaws. GPS-fitted vehicles for the EVMs will render things far easier now. We will watch it. We will track it online and offline.”
Reeshma Ramesan said 90 per cent of the rolled-out polling parties has reached their destination. The remaining 10 per cent will soon be reaching the destination.
In a crackdown on freebies, police in Palamu seized 22,000 litres of spirit en route to Bihar from Asansol, said the SP.
Eight polling parties are to be heli-dropped for booths lying in close vicinity of the Burha Pahar.
The presiding officer and polling officer 1 will go from Palamu by chopper. They will be joined at the polling booths by local government polling officials’ number 3 and 4.
Returning officer Shashi Ranjan said there would be 221 polling parties return from polling stations in P plus 1 mode., It implied that voting will be over on May 13 but these 221 polling parties will start coming back to the based collection centre on May 14 with the polled EVMs and other essential papers and documents and envelopes etc who will be thoroughly screened and scrutinised by a dedicated team under the strict supervision of the observers sent here by the ECI.
There would be a close watch and vigil by eyes and third eyes the CCTV cameras too.
