Ludhiana, May 26 (PTI) Preparations for the Ludhiana West assembly by-election are in full swing, and 192 polling stations across 66 locations will be set up for it, District Election Officer (DEO) Himanshu Jain said on Monday.
The Ludhiana West seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.
Jain who is also the Ludhiana deputy commissioner said the administration is fully prepared to conduct the Ludhiana West by-election in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
He said there are a total of 1,74,437 voters who are eligible to exercise their right to vote on June 19.
The Election Commission of India Sunday had said that the bypoll to Ludhiana West assembly seat will take place on June 19 and the counting will be held on June 23.
While interacting with the media persons on Monday, Jain said a total of 192 polling stations across 66 locations will be established to facilitate voting.
The voter demographic includes 89,602 males, 84,825 females, and 10 individuals identifying as third gender in the Ludhiana West assembly.
Additionally, the electorate comprises 100 service voters, 2,039 senior citizens, 2,896 young voters (aged 18-19), 17 overseas voters, and 1,234 persons with disabilities (PWD), he said.
To enhance voting experience, the administration will set up 10 model polling booths. These include one managed by women, one by PWD staff, and one eco-friendly 'green' polling booth.
Polling will take place from 7 am to 6 pm, with vote counting scheduled for June 23. Notification for the by-election has been issued on Monday.
The last date for filing nominations is June 2, and the scrutiny of nomination papers will occur on June 3. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is June 5.
Nominations will be accepted between 11 am and 3 pm, with only five individuals, including a candidate, allowed during the filing process.
Candidates must be registered voters in any constituency within the state. Jain said the maximum limit for election expenses for an assembly constituency has been fixed at Rs 40 lakh.
To assist in monitoring of electioneering, several flying squad teams (FST), static surveillance teams (SST), video surveillance teams (VST), and video viewing teams (VVT) have already been formed.
The District Election Officer also mentioned that the ECI has developed the 'Candidate App Suvidha', which allows candidates and political parties to allocate public spaces for meetings and rallies.
The DEO also instructed officials to remove all political posters and hoardings from public properties under the jurisdiction of the Ludhiana West assembly.
He also mentioned that CCTV surveillance of breweries, bottling plants, warehouses, and godowns to prevent unauthorised liquor distribution will be ensured and emphasised continuous monitoring of liquor vends and thorough checks of vacant houses, plots, and flats near these facilities, which could be used for illicit liquor storage.