Shimla: Faced with conducting a poll under snowbound conditions, the election department today flew three helicopter sorties with poll staff and election material into the landlocked valley of Dodra Kawar in Shimla hills.
The election department has requisitioned state transport vehicles, set up a police control room, opened up snow bound roads and set up a communication network into remote regions for conduct of a free and fairl poll on 19th December poll
Giving information about poll preparations Manisha Nanda, chief election officer disclosed that other than the three sorties undertaken today, more would be made to put in place men and material in the Dodra-Kawar region of Rohru assembly constituency. A telecommunication engineer has also been deployed to maintain the communication link, she said.
The seat is represented by chief minister Virbhadra Singh from where he is contesting againg. The landlocked Dodra-Kawar valley has 7 polling stations under which 3920 voters reside.
An election control room would become operational by Sunday and about 40,000 polling personnel have been deputed for poll duty which includes security personnel, sector magistrates and other officers, said Nanda.
On the other hand, chief secretary Ravi Dhingra presided over a meet to ensure conduct of a free and fair election. He said that 1972 Himachal transport buses, 73 trucks and 891 light vehicles will be deployed on election duty for the 65 assembly segments.
Sufficient forces are being deputed and officers have been asked not to tolerate any lapses. A police control room has been set up and it would start working from polling day, he added.
The public works department has been asked to ensure uninterrupted vehicular traffic so that polling arties could reach their destinations timely. The snowbound Jalori Pass under trying conditions has been opened for movement of light vehicles, chief secretary claimed.
19th December Declared A Paid Holiday
To abide by the peoples representation act, the government has declared 19th December as a paid holiday to the every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment for he is entitled to vote at the ensuing election.
On poll day, central offices functioning within the state too remain closed, said a spokesperson of the election department.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
