Focus on polling staff’s welfare, free and fair elections: Rajouri election officer on J&K Assembly polls

Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 23 (ANI): Ahead of the second phase of the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, District Election Officer (DEO) Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, said that their focus is on the welfare of the polling staff and on conducting free and fair elections.

The official informed that they have a total of 745 polling stations in all five assembly constituencies in Rajouri.

“Polling is going to be held on September 25 in Rajouri and we have five assembly constituencies in Rajouri. We have a total of 745 polling stations in all five assembly constituencies. The doubts regarding EVMs have been cleared and the effort is that the election should be absolutely free and fair as per the guidelines of our Election Commission and our polling parties should return to their reception centres after conducting proper and perfect elections,” the DEO told ANI.

“So, our first focus is on the welfare of the polling staff and on free and fair elections…PWD voters can vote this time from their homes. 96 per cent of the people have cast their vote in it, which is a very good average. I will appeal to all the voters to celebrate the festival of democracy on September 25,” he added.

Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer of J-K, PK Pole, participated in an electoral awareness program organised under Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) and expressed hope that a large number of people would participate in the state Assembly elections.

PK Pole said, “This (Lal Chowk) is a very historic place having significant meaning. Today under SVEEP, an electoral awareness programme was organised here. This was done to aware the voters. A large number of people participated in the polling here during the Lok Sabha polls. We hope that a large number of people will participate in the J&K Assembly elections also. Assembly elections are going to be held on September 25 in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal.”

He appealed to people to come in large numbers to vote on September 25.

“For a better polling experience, all kinds of basic facilities have been provided at polling stations. The Election Commission of India has always tried to make the polls inclusive and so we conduct awareness programme,” he added.

The elections for the 90 assembly seats of Jammu and Kashmir are being held in three phases.

The first phase of voting was completed in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 with a voter turnout of 61.13 per cent registered across 24 constituencies in seven districts, as per the Election Commission.

The second and third phases will be held on September 25 and October 5, respectively. Vote counting will be conducted on October 8 along with the counting of votes in Haryana.