As the Election Commission of India announced that polling for the Kalaburagi Lok Sabha seat is slated to be held on May 7, Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner B. Fauzia Taranum, addressing a press conference here on Saturday, said that the administration has geared up to ensure free and fair polls. She added that 2,378 polling booths will be set up in the district.
Providing data for nine Assembly constituencies coming under Kalaburagi district, the Deputy Commissioner said that a total of 22,68,944 voters (including 11,43,159 male, 11,25,463 female and 322 others) are eligible to cast their votes.
Kalaburagi Lok Sabha constituency, which includes Afzalpur, Jewargi, Chittapur, Kalaburagi North, Kalaburagi South, Kalaburagi Rural, Sedam and Gurmitkal Assembly constituencies in Yadgir district, has 20,65,018 eligible voters, including 10,34,005 male, 10,30,677 female and 336 others.
Ms. Taranum, who is also the District Election Officer, said that the district authorities have made elaborate arrangements by setting up 39 check-posts across the district, Telangana and Maharashtra borders; deployed 40 Flying Squad Teams (FST), nine Video Surveillance Teams (VST) and nine Video Viewing Teams (VVT) and 10 Accounting Teams for conducting free and fair polls and to monitor the expenditure of candidates and political parties.
Police Commissioner R. Chetan and Superintendent of Police Akshay Haykay said that Central para-military forces will be deployed to ensure peaceful polling in the district.
The police will also focus on vulnerable polling stations, voters vulnerable to threat and intimidation.
The police have collected information on the susceptibility of voters to be influenced by persons in relation to the exercise of their right to vote. They have taken undertaking from rowdy-sheeters that they will not indulge in any criminal or illegal activities during the elections.
