District Election Officer Rajouri, Om Prakash Bhagat, convened a comprehensive press briefing to outline the preparedness and arrangements for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. With the Election Commission of India (ECI) having recently announced the schedule for the elections, the district is gearing up to facilitate a smooth and fair electoral process.
The DEO emphasized the importance of all political parties and contesting candidates adhering to the Model Code of Conduct throughout the electoral process. He also informed that District Rajouri comprises two Parliamentary Constituencies - Jammu and Anantnag-Rajouri, encompassing a total of five Assembly Constituencies including Nowshera, Rajouri, Budhal, Thanamandi and Kalakote-Suderbani.
The district boasts a total population of 642,415 as per the 2011 Census, with 484,632 electors comprising male, female, and third gender voters. Notably, the district exhibits a commendable inclusion effort, with 3,708 PWD electors. The District Election Officer further briefed that the district has a robust polling infrastructure comprising 680 polling stations across urban and rural areas, with 350 stations planned for webcasting and additional provisions for shadow areas, has been established. Moreover, there are 15 model polling stations.
Adequate human resources have been mobilized, including 5 AROs, 680 BLOs, 27 ZOs, and 71 Sector Officers. Comprehensive training programs conducted by state, district, and assembly-level master trainers ensure the competency of election personnel in carrying out their duties effectively, he added.
The DEO assured that minimum facilities such as ramps, drinking water, furniture, electricity, and toilets are provided across all polling stations to facilitate a seamless voting experience for voters. Furthermore, he said that sufficient EVMs and VVPATs are available, ensuring the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.
Media persons were also sensitized to use the print and electric media for advertisement only after approval from MCMC committees, adhering to MCC guidelines of ECI. They were also asked to restrain themselves from Paid news without following ECI guidelines.