This Article is From Nov 16, 2023

"Prepared For Free, Fair, Violence-Free Polling In Madhya Pradesh": Official

Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan said the state has around 64,000 booths and more than 50% of polling parties have already reached their respective booths.

'Prepared For Free, Fair, Violence-Free Polling In Madhya Pradesh': Official

Mr Rajan said 700 companies of central paramilitary forces will be deployed.

Bhopal:

A day before polling in Madhya Pradesh, the state's chief electoral officer said all preparations have been made for voters to pick their choice of candidates for the 230 Assembly seats. 

In an exclusive conversation with NDTV on Thursday, Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan said the state has around 64,000 booths and more than 50% of polling parties have already reached their respective booths. They will be staying there in the night and prepare for the voting, which will begin at 7 am.

On security preparations, Mr Rajan said, "There is Maoist influence in three districts of Madhya Pradesh - Mandla, Balaghat and Dindori. Three Assembly constituencies of Balaghat will have differential timings, polling will start at 7 am and end at 3 pm. The same thing will happen at 55 polling stations of Mandla and 40 polling stations of Dindori."

"Apart from this, central forces are there. We have provisions for live web-streaming. Micro-observers will also be there. All measures have been taken to ensure that the polling is free, fair and violence-free. We have around 700 companies of central paramilitary forces and around 2 lakh police employees, including police personnel and home guards, that will be deployed across the state," he added.

Mr Rajan said webcasting will also be done in 70% of polling booths, as opposed to 10% in the 2018 elections. In terms of pre-poll seizures, he said flying squads and static surveillance teams have recovered cash, liquor, precious metals and "freebies" worth Rs 350 crore. 

The chief electoral officer also issued an appeal to all voters in Madhya Pradesh to cast their vote and urge their relatives and friends to do so as well.

The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government is seeking another term in the state while the Congress, led by state unit chief Kamal Nath, is hoping to return to power after being ousted in 2020 following the rebellion by Jyotiraditya Scindia. The BJP has ruled in the state -  barring a 15-month period - since 2003.

.