Polling for six Parliamentary seats today

As many as six Parliament seats vis Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla and Chhindwara will go for polling under first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh on Monday. Total 108 candidates are in fray. Sidhi is having 26 candidates, 13 candidates in Shahdol, 22 candidates in Jabalpur, 10 candidates in Mandla, 23 candidates in Balaghat and 14 candidates in Chhindwara. Along with Lok Sabha election, by election for Chhindwara assembly seat will be also held simultaneously. This was informed by Chief Electoral Officer VL Kanta Rao on Sunday.

The six Parliament seats going for polling includes 47 assembly seats. Eight assembly seats are in each parliament seats of Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla and Balaghat. Chhindwara parliament seat has seven assembly seats. The voting time is from 7 am till 6 pm. However voting time for Balaghat Parliament seat’s assembly seats namely Baihar, Lanji, Paraswada will be from 7 am till 4 pm. As far as total number of general electors is concerned then Sidhi is having 18,43,938 general voters including 9,65,014 males, 8,78,904 femals and 20 third genders. Shahdol is having 16,55,558 general voters including 8,47, 673 males and 8,07,860 females and 25 third gender. Jabalpur is having 18,18,114 general voters including 9,40. 154 males, 8,77,879 females and 81 third gender. Mandla is having 19,49,908 general voters including 9,82,006 males, 9,67,877 females and 81 third gender.

Balaghat is having 17,65,938 general voters including 8,83,852 males, 8,82,077 females and 9 third gender. Chhindwara is having 15,12,369 general voters including 7,71,601 males, 7,40,750 females and 18 third gender. As far as Chhindwara assembly segment is concerned then it is having 26,2745 general voters including 133068 male and 12,9671 female. Tight security arrangements have been made for polling to be held at total 13,491 polling centers including 2377 in Sidhi, 2187 in Shahdol, 2128 in Jabalpur, 2581 in Mandla, 2275 in Balaghat and 1943 in Chhindwara. Basic facilities including ramp walk, drinking water, furniture, medical kit, electricity supply, help desk, signage, toilet, shadow arrangements, queue management etc have been ensured at ever polling booth.

Total 44200 security officials have been deployed in security work. In other words, total 85 companies of CAPF, 38 companies of SAF have been pressed into security work. The number of critical centers is 2515. Total 645 polling booths will be controlled by women polling officials. At least 27 polling centers will be operated by divyangs. At 13,491 polling centers, total 59,709 polling officials have been deployed. Close watch through webcasting and CCTV will be kept on more than 2700 polling stations.

GPS system has been fixed in vehicles which will transport EVMs and VVPATS. GPS system has been fitted into more than 5800 vehicles. Air Ambulance has been arranged in Jabalpur which will be used in emergency case.

Of the six Parliamentary seats going for polling on Monday, eyes of everyone are set on outcome of Jabalpur seat and Chhindwara seat. The Lok Sabha election for Jabalpur seat has become VIP because BJP State President Rakesh Singh is in election battle. Moreover, Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat election is grabbing eye balls as son of CM Kamal Nath, Nakul Nath is contesting the election. Apart from this, CM Kamal Nath himself is contesting by election of Chhindwara assembly seat.