The stage is set for the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls in 58 Parliamentary Constituencies spread across six States and two Union Territories on Saturday. In this phase, eight Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, all ten seats in Haryana, four seats in Jharkhand, all seven seats in Delhi, six in Odisha, 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, eight seats in West Bengal and one Parliamentary Constituency in Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls. Polling for 42 Assembly Constituencies for the Odisha State Assembly will also take place simultaneously. The voting will begin at 7 AM.
Political fate of prominent leaders including senior BJP leaders Dharmendra Pradhan, Maneka Gandhi, Manohar Lal Khattar, Sambit Patra, Bansuri Swaraj and Manoj Tiwari and Congress leaders Deepender Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, Raj Babbar and Kanhaiya Kumar as well as Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti will be sealed in the EVMs.
Around 11.4 lakh Polling officials will welcome over 11.13 crore voters across 1.14 lakh polling stations.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Election Commission to ensure smooth and hassle free voting in these areas. Talking to media ahead of the sixth phase, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar appealed to all the voters to participate in the festival of democracy.
Akashvani correspondent reports that poll body has specially reminded voters in urban centres like Delhi, Gurgaon, and Faridabad to exercise their right to vote and break the trend of urban apathy.
Basic facilities ranging from shade, drinking water, ramps, toilets, wheelchairs to electricity are in place to ensure that every voter, including elderly and persons with disabilities, can cast their vote with ease. State Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers and State machineries have taken adequate measures to manage hot weather conditions. Security has also been beefed up in the polling areas to avoid any untoward incident and ensure free, and fair polls. A total of 2222 Flying Squads, 2295 Static Surveillance Teams, 819 Video Surveillance Teams and 569 Video Viewing Teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to deal with any form of inducement of voters strictly and swiftly. A total of 257 international Border check posts and 927 inter-state border check posts are keeping strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept at sea and air routes.
