6.13 lakh voters to exercise their franchise to elect 171 councillors

Central Chronicle News
Bhilai, Nov 24: With the announcement and notification of the scheme for civic body polls, model election code has been enforced completely in four civic bodies and partially in one civic body of the district as complete election will be held in Bhilai Municipal Corporation, Risali Municipal Corporation, Bhilai Charoda Municipal Corporation and Jamul Municipal Council while Ward Number 5 of Utai Nagar Panchayat is going for bypolls. In all, 613246 voters will exercise their franchise to elect 171 councillors at these civic bodies of the district. The administration has switched to Model Election Code and has started working accordingly.
Detailing about the preparations in Durg District, Collector Dr Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure informed that they are all set to conduct the elections. The final voter list is ready and no further amendments will be made till declaration of results. As per the directives of the election commission, the number of voters at every booth is less than 1000. Further, the counting of votes will be conducted within the concerned civic body limits only. Elaborate security arrangements have also been made to ensure free and fair polls.
Dr Bhure informed that the election process will be begin on November 27 with the publication of the schedule, reservation of seats, etc. Distribution of nomination forms will begin at 10:30 hrs on the same day. The candidates will be able to file their nominations till December 03. Scrutiny will be held on December 4 and the candidates will be able to withdraw their names till December 06 after which final list of candidates will be published.
407624 voters will exercise their franchise at 463 booths in 70 wards of Bhilai Municipal Corporation. 94104 voters will cast their votes at 122 booths of 40 wards in Risali Municipal Corporation. 22922 voters will exercise their franchise at 38 booths of 20 wards in Jamul Municipal Council. 88205 voters will cast their votes at 112 booths of 40 wards while 391 voters will exercise their franchise at one booth of one ward in Utai Nagar Panchayat.
As the Model Election Code has been enforced, prohibitions have been introduced as per the provisions of Section 144 of CrPC, Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, Kolahal Niyantran Adhiniyam, etc have been imposed.
He further informed that the recent Covid Guidelines as issued by the centre will be followed while conducting the election. Arrangement of sanitizers, etc will be made at the booths. The additional security person deployed at the booths will be utilized for queue management.
Patients suffering from CKovid will also be able to vote. Special arrangements will be made for Covid patients and they will be allowed to cast their vote in the last hour of the polling day. SSP Badrinarayan Meena informed 426 are sensitive booths and 10 are hyper sensitive booths.
Elaborate arrangements will be made at these booths to ensure free and fair polls. Approximately 2500 jawans will be deployed on election duty. District Election Officer Khemlal Verma was also present in the press conference.