Efforts on way to give voters better experience on Poll Day; status of AMF reviewed: CEO

JAMMU, AUGUST 24: The J&K Election Department conducted a meeting of the Director level officers under the chairmanship of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) J&K, Pandurang K Pole on Saturday at Nirvachan Bhawan, Rail Head Complex, Jammu.
The CEO reviewed the overall preparations of the Polling Stations to ensure the smooth and hassle free conduct of the Assembly Election 2024 which are going to be held in 3 phases across the Jammu and Kashmir beginning 18 September 2024.
The officers from School Education Department, Higher Education Department, Public Works Department, Jal Shakti Department, Social Welfare Department, Forest Department, Agriculture Department; JPDL and KPDCL and others were present in the crucial meeting which was held to d6icuss the Assured Minimum Facilities to be made available at the Polling Stations.
CEO, Pandurang K Pole exhorted upon the officers present in the meeting to ensure the Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) across all the Polling Stations. He also directed the officers to send an Action Taken Report along with the Geo-tagged photos of the polling stations to the office of Chief Electoral Officer in a week’s time.
Pertinently, there are 11,838 total Polling Stations including 2332 in urban and 9506 in rural areas with each polling station averaging 735 electorates.
The officers were also directed to ensure continuous drinking water and power supply including lighting facilities should be provided by the concerned department across all the Polling Stations which are going to poll on 18 September 2024 in Phase-1. Moreover, the sanitation and plantation drives should be taken well in advance in the premises of all the Polling Stations.
The availability of accessible approach roads at various Polling Stations located in remote areas and at the tough terrain and snow bound areas across J&K also came under the discussion and it was directed that both J&K Rural Development Department (RDD) and J&K Housing and Urban Development Department will take required steps in this regard.
Additionally, the officers must take care of ramp construction leading to a particular Polling Station to facilitate the Persons with Disability (PwDs) in voting and sufficient steps should be taken well in advance by the departments, the statement reads.
The availability of Booth Awareness Groups (BAGs), Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) and Voter Awareness Forums and their roles in attracting various voter groups in a particular Assembly Constituency were also discussed and deliberations were held to strengthen them at the Booth Level.
In the first phase, 24 Assembly Constituencies both in Jammu and Kashmir divisions are going to election on 18 September, 2024.
The notification has been issued for Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam districts in Kashmir Division; and Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts in Jammu Division.
In Kashmir Division, 16 Assembly Constituencies comprising Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam; whereas in Jammu Division, 8 Assembly Constituencies including, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal are scheduled to go for polls in the Phase-I of the Assembly Election.