Kargil, Sep 16: In anticipation of the 5th Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil Election scheduled for October 4th, 2023, election authorities have put meticulous plans in place to ensure a smooth and secure electoral process.
Deputy Election Officer Kargil, Khanzada Mohd Usman, provided an overview of the preparations underway.
A total of 278 polling stations have been designated for this election, with each polling station to be supervised by four Polling Officers. To facilitate this extensive operation, a workforce of 1112 employees will be deployed, with an additional 25% reserve employees on standby.
In a bid to ensure the integrity of the election, Khanzada Mohd Usman confirmed that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would be used, specifically the M2-type machines. He emphasized that these machines have a proven track record of security and fairness, having been scrutinized by the Election Commission in previous elections. Furthermore, they have been successfully employed in previous LAHDC Leh elections without any reported issues.
Transparency and accountability are paramount in this election. To this end, the selection of the M2-type machines occurred in July, with political parties invited to verify and inspect them.
Randomization processes were conducted in the presence of political party representatives to eliminate any potential bias. Mock polls will be conducted both before and on the polling day to validate the machines’ accuracy.
In a gesture of concern for the well-being of polling staff, especially in Tough Stations, mostly in Zanskar, Khanzada Mohd Usman revealed that arrangements would be made for firewood to ensure their comfort during the election process.
Khanzada Mohd Usman urged the people of Kargil to actively participate in the 5th LAHDC election and strive for the highest possible voter turnout, underscoring the significance of this democratic process in shaping the region’s future.
