Kulgam, Sept 16: Athar Aamir Khan, the District Election Officer (DEO) of Kulgam, has confirmed that all preparations for Tuesday’s dispatch day are complete.
“We have three constituencies: Kulgam, Devsar, and D.H. Pora. For each, the dispatch receipt centres are the respective degree colleges,” said Khan, referring to Kulgam, Kilam(Devsar) and D.H. Pora colleges.
“All polling parties will be handed over EVMs and dispatched to their respective polling stations. We have approximately 372 polling stations in the district, and all essential facilities like drinking water, ramps, and wheelchairs have been ensured,” Khan added.
In addition to these provisions, all polling stations will feature 100% webcasting, providing live feeds directly to the Election Commission of India. This setup mirrors the arrangements during the parliamentary elections. “We have trained our staff, including zonal and sector magistrates, along with the police officers. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are also deployed in the district,” Khan stated.
The silence period, during which rallies and meetings are prohibited, is set for the last 48 hours before polling day. Loudspeakers will also be banned during this time, and the Model Code of Conduct is being strictly implemented.
“We are expecting a huge voter turnout across all three assembly segments,” Khan said, adding that special polling booths have been set up in every segment. These include pink polling stations with women officers, green stations for PWD officers, and unique polling stations in areas with a high tribal population.
DEO said that there is the importance of voter outreach: “We ensured 100% distribution of voter slips and epic cards to all eligible voters.” He also said that the counting centre for all the three different constituency segments will be at degree college Kulgam.
Election observers are continuously monitoring the process, ensuring transparency and smooth operations. On home voting, Khan said, “We saw remarkable participation, with 195 out of 206 specially-abled and senior citizens casting their votes, reflecting a 98% polling percentage.”
