Voting for the 11 constituencies in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra is scheduled for May 7 and State Chief Electoral Officer cum Principal Secretary S. Chokkalingam says the poll body is fully prepared.
In his press statement issued Friday, he said in view of the heat, instructions have been given to the district systems to provide sufficient drinking water, ORS packets and make shaded arrangements, waiting room facilities at all the polling stations as per the number of voters.
Chokkalingam said, in the second phase, voting was held in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani on April 26 when total average voting was 62.71 percent.
In the third phase, polling will be held across three divisions of Konkan (2), Pune (7) and Marathwada (2). Campaigning will come to end on the evening of May 5.
The constituencies that will vote on May 7 are Osmanabad, Latur, Baramati, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Hatkangale, Raigad and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg.
A total of 23,036 polling centres will cater to over 2.09 crores voters who will choose from 258 candidates.
He informed that 46,491 Ballot Unit (BU) and 23,036 Control Unit (CU) besides 23,036 VVPATs are available.
The general polling time for all constituencies in the third phase is from 7 am to 6 pm. However, the polling station will remain open till the voting process of all the voters who are present at the polling station is completed.
Materials and equipment required for this election have been provided at the polling station. Adequately trained polling staff and officials are available for smooth conduct of elections. Police personnel have also been deployed,
Care has been taken not to violate the model code of conduct, he added.
Voters above 85 years of age as well as disabled voters have been provided the facility of home voting as per their wish. Ramps and wheelchair facilities have been made available at polling stations for disabled voters.
The inspection of EVM and VVPAT provided at the polling station has been completed and their randomisation has also been done.
Commissioning of EVMs and VVPAT machines is being done constituency-wise.The CRPF units have been deployed at sensitive polling stations.
Till May 1, a total of 50,397 weapons have been collected. Some 1,110 weapons have been confiscated by canceling licenses. The seized illegal arms amount to 1,595, he said.
Since the implementation of the code of conduct in the state, preventive action has been taken against 1,11,878 persons under the CRPC Act.
In Maharashtra, Rs 49.95 crore in cash and Rs.36.80 crore worth of liquor have been seized between March 1 and May 2, through various enforcement mechanisms of the central and state government.
A total amount of Rs 530.69 crore, including precious metals worth Rs 129.89 crore, drugs worth Rs 220.65 crore, freebies amounting to Rs 0.47 crore and Rs 92.92 crore of other items has been seized, added Chokkalingam.
