Drones to make India debut in JH polls today
226 polling stations identified as critical
Hyderabad: With Jubilee Hills going to vote on Tuesday, elaborate arrangements have been made by the Election authorities and city police to ensure transparent, smooth and hassle-free polling.
This will also be the first time in the country that the election authorities have deployed drones for real-time surveillance and to provide a bird’s-eye view of the polling areas.
Polling will be held from 7 am to 5 pm on Tuesday.
Drones have been deployed around 139 locations. On Monday, the drones were showcased in a synchronised display at Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy Stadium at Yousufguda under the joint supervision of the Hyderabad District Election Officer RV Karnan and Joint Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Tafseer Iqbal.
For centralized monitoring of the proceedings at all polling stations, live webcast has also been arranged. Approximately, 407 polling stations are housed in 139 buildings while 2,060 election staff will man the elections. EVMs were dispatched to the concerned polling stations on Monday.
The authorities have taken up comprehensive measures at polling stations and security measures, including 24/7 surveillance. Also, infrastructure facilities such as ramps, drinking water and toilets have been for the voters in polling centres.
The DEO said that 58 candidates are in the fray. Each polling station will be equipped with one Control Unit (CU), four ballot units (BUs), and one VVPAT machine. Around 40 engineers and technicians from ECIL will remain on standby to address any technical issues during polling hours,” said Karnan.
The Election Commission has designated 19 nodal officers and 38 sector officers, who have been tasked with ground-level supervision and immediate reporting of any violations or disturbances.
The Jubilee Hills constituency has an electorate of over 4,01,365 voters, including 1,92,779 women and 25 from trans community. First-time voters aged 18-19 years account for 6,859 voters, while 85+ voters are 2,134.
The Hyderabad city Police had imposed Section 144. Around 1,800 policemen drawn from local police stations, city armed reserve, Task Force, and Telangana State Special Police, assisted by the Central Armed Police Force have been deployed for the purpose.
Additionally, police have identified 226 polling stations as critical. To avoid untoward incidents at these polling stations, Central Armed Police Forces will be deployed.
Meanwhile, since the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct on October 6, cash, liquor, drugs and freebies worth Rs 3.60 crore have been seized in 51 FIRs that have been registered apart from 27 MMC violation cases.
