In view of the anticipated third wave of theCovid-19 pandemic that may hit in the last months of this year, the districtadministration would set up 1310 auxiliary polling stations in the district inaddition to the 2749 existing polling stations for maintaining socialdistancing norm during the voting.
Presiding over a meeting with representativesof the various political parties, Deputy Commissioner (DC)-cum-DistrictElectoral Officer (DEO) Varinder Kumar Sharma said that to take precautionarymeasures for preventing the overcrowding of voters in a polling station due toCovid-19, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to limit thenumber of voters for each polling station at 1000 and the auxiliary stationwill be established wherever the number of voters exceeds 1000.
He said that as per the latest data tillJanuary 15, 2021, Ludhiana has 2606484 voters and 2749 polling stations due towhich the administration would create 1310 auxiliary polling stations in thesame buildings or premises where presently 1000 and adjacent buildings.
Sharma said that Ludhiana would have a total of4059 polling stations out of which 3894 can be created in the existingbuildings where polling stations persist currently and 133 polling stations canbe set up in nearby buildings besides for remaining 32 polling stations,directions have been issued to the Assistant Returning Officers to immediatelyfinalize the locations.
He told the representatives of politicalparties to meet the Assistant Returning Officers of all 14 legislative assemblysegments and must check the locations of these 1310 auxiliary polling stationsso that these can be prepared as polling stations for the upcoming assemblyelections due in 2022.
Sharma also solicited their support in creatingawareness about registration of new voters among the general public aboutwww.nvsp.in.www.voterportal.eci.gov.in and toll-free helpline 1950 so thatmaximum and maximum can be enrolled as voters.
Prominent among present on the occasionAdditional Deputy Commissioner Amarjeet Bains, Tehsildar Elections Anju Bala,and others.