Shimla: As the campaign for four by-elections came to an end on Wednesday evening, Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, state's Chief Electoral Officer C Paulrasu and Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu flew to tribal belt of Kinnaur, Lahual-Spiti and Pangi to take stock of the preparation for October 30 bypoll in Mandi Parliamentary constituency.
Mandi Parliamentary constituency has 17 Assembly segments spread through districts of Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba and Shimla. High reaches of Kinnaur and the entire district of Lahaul-Spiti are experiencing snowfall resulting in disruption of several roads, apart from resulting in considerable drop of temperature.
The Chief Secretary held a meeting with senior officers of the Kinnaur district at Reckongpeo making it clear that the directions of the Election Commission (ECI) for free and fair elections must be implemented strictly.
Maximum participation of the voters should also be ensured.
Kinnaur has the distinction of having Independent India's first voter Shyam Saran Negi, a 104-year-old native of Kalpa village. He has already conveyed his desire to go to the polling booth to cast his vote.
Chief Secretary asked Deputy Commissioner Kinnaur Apoorv Devgan to facilitate Negi's visit to the booth and accord him full honour.
He also instructed Kinnaur DC to enhance the patrolling during the night time and keeping close vigil on the vehicles especially coming from out of the state.
Singh expressed satisfaction over the preparations made by the district administration and assured that the state government would also arrange state and army helicopters if required due to inclement weather.
Chief Secretary admitted that Mandi parliamentary constituency had tough topography as it consists of remote and tribal areas and moreover there were chances of fresh snowfall in the higher reaches.
Keeping this in view, he asked the administration to deploy adequate man and machinery for ensuring smooth polling besides maintaining proper law and order situation. He also directed to ensure that the polling material and parties should reach well in time to the remotest polling stations.
DGP Sanjay Kundu inquired about the security arrangements made for the elections and instructed for thorough checking during the nakas and also asked to keep a close watch on anti-social elements.
Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan informed that 129 polling stations had been set up in the district and the polling parties would leave for their destinations on October 28.
In Kullu, the Chief Secretary held a detailed discussion with the officers regarding implementation of model code of conduct, arrangements made for the polling parties, polling booths and the strong room.
District Electoral Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Garg informed the Chief Secretary that proper arrangements had been made for polling at all the four Assembly constituencies- Manali, Kullu, Banjar and Ani. In all, 604 polling centres had been set up in the Kullu district including six critical and 55 sensitive centres.
Earlier, the Chief Secretary, DGP and Chief Electoral Officer also visited Killar, the headquarters of the Pangi valley in Chamba district.
Singh directed the administration to make proper lodging and boarding arrangements for the staff deployed on the polling duty as the valley had already experienced fresh snowfall.
Earlier, the State Chief Electoral Officer has banned publication and broadcast of all types of opinion pre-poll surveys and exit-polls in Himachal Pradesh relating to four bypolls, which also include the highly prestigious Mandi Parliamentary constituency.
The elections to Mandi Lok Sabha seat, which has fallen vacant after demise of two-time MP Ram Swaroop Sharma in 2020, and three assembly constituencies of Arki (Solan) Fatehpur (Kangra) and Jubbal-Kotkhai (Shimla) are slated for October 30.
C Paulrasu told Millennium Poast that "there shall be a complete ban on the display of results of any opinion pre poll or exit polls by any media organisation till polling day on October 30."