The Hindu : New Delhi News : All set for MCD by-polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 22, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

All set for MCD by-polls

By Lalit K. Jha

NEW DELHI, JUNE 21. With just four days left for the campaigning for the municipal by-elections to come to an end, the State Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for peaceful and smooth conduct of the polls on June 27.

About 2,700 polling personnel and nearly 1,850 police personnel would be deployed on polling day, the campaigning for which comes to an end at 5 p.m. on June 25. As many as 51 candidates are in the race for the six seats: Tri Nagar, Keshav Puram, Timarpur, Nand Nagri, Nangloi and Khyala. A maximum of 3,34,332 voters could exercise their right to franchise.

The Commission has set up 384 polling booths, with the maximum 99 being in Nangloi followed by Timarpur (62), Nand Nagri (59), Keshav Puram (57), Khyala (54) and Tri Nagar (53). Based on the feedback received from the police and election observers, the Commission has identified 43 hypersensitive and 47 sensitive booths. The maximum of 35 including 21 sensitive and 14 hypersensitive are in Nangloi, while Keshav Puram has just four sensitive booths. The maximum numbers of 16 hypersensitive booths are in Khyala.

While Tri Nagar, Keshav Puram and Timarpur have no hypersensitive booths, 12 booths have been identified sensitive at Tri Nagar and another ten at Timarpur.

In a letter to the Delhi Government, the Commission has informed that there would be no relaxation in the model code of conduct, which was in force till June 29. It also directed the Sheila Dikshit Government to ensure that there were no political announcements and inaugurations during this period, which affected the voting pattern of these seats. Early this month, the Delhi Chief Secretary, Shailja Chandra, had requested the Commission not to enforce the model code of conduct in the entire Capital as the by-elections were being held only for six of the 134 wards.

Following the request from major political parties, the State Election Commission after making amendments in the relevant act has also increased the expenditure limit from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1.5 lakhs. The Leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Subhash Arya, had made a request in this regard.

While permitting three vehicles per candidates for campaigning, the Commission in an order has banned use of mobile loudspeakers for publicity. Only stationary loudspeakers could be used between 8 in morning and 10 in night, the order said. It has also directed for the closure of liquor shops on the day of polling in these wards. For monitoring the campaign three General Election Observers and three Expenditure Observers have been appointed by the Commission, who have been moving around the area, officials said.

Officials said the counting of votes would be taken up at three centres on June 29 at 8 a.m. "Results are expected to be declared the same day," they said. While counting of votes for Tri Nagar and Keshav Puram would be taken up at the Government Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar, those of Nangloi and Khyala at the Gurunanak Dev Polytechnic, Rohini Sector 15 and votes of Nand Nagri and Timarpur would be counted at the Government Senior Secondary School Ludlo Castle No. 2, Sham Nath Marg.

Statistics provided by the Commission revealed that the maximum number of 86,753 voters were in Nangloi, followed by Timarpur (54,430), Keshav Puram (52,106), Nand Nagri (51,805), Tri Nagar (45,635) and Khyala (43,603), which has the maximum 11 candidates in fray. While Nand Nagri has 10 candidates, Timarpur (nine), Tri Nagar and Nangloi (eight each), Keshav Puram has just five contestants.

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