Shimla: In a first , three polling stations –one in Mandi Parliamentary constituency and one each at Jubbal-Kotkhai and Fatehpur constituencies will be manned by Persons with Physically Disabilities (PwDs for upcoming bypoll in Himachal Pradesh, slated on October 30.
Not alone this, two polling stations each at Arki, Fatehpur and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly constituencies will see deployment of all women polling staff.
This was disclosed here by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) C Paulrasu, who reviewed the arrangements for the upcoming byelections to Mandi Parliamentary constituency and three state assembly constituencies having fallen vacant due to demise of sitting MP Ram Swaroop Sharma and three MLAs–Virbhadra Singh, a former Chief Minister, Sujan Singh Pathania and Narinder Bragta, both former ministers.
Paulrasu said there are a total of 18,054 physically challenged persons in the state who will be voting in the upcoming elections. Special arrangements have been made to facilitate these persons to exercise their democratic rights.
Highest number of these are male persons whose number is 11,674 while 6,380 are females.
In a new initiative, three polling booths in the state will be manned by physically challenged persons. These include one at Rampur, another two at Barot (Fatehpur) and Swarswati Nagar ( Jubbal-Kotkhai).
The polling stations to be manned by women are: Barot-I and Sunet in Fatehpur, Arki-2 and Arki-3,Kotkhai and Jubbal in Jubbal Kotkhai.
The Chief Electoral Officer said 50 percent of the polling stations in Mandi Parliamentary Constituency and Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai Assembly Constituencies would be connected through webcasting.
Webcasting facility would be available in 1383 polling stations out of a total 2796 polling stations set up for by-elections.
Webcasting would be conducted in 1168 polling stations out of 2365 polling stations set up in all the Assembly Constituencies of Mandi Parliamentary Constituency for the implementation of these instructions and for effective monitoring of the voting process.
He said that 215 polling stations out of total 431 polling stations set up for by--elections of Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai Assembly Constituencies would be connected through webcasting for effective monitoring of poll in polling stations without compromising the secrecy of voting.