Six candidates in fray for MCD bypoll for Subhash nagar ward

New Delhi, July 21 (UNI) Six candidates are in fray for the MCD by-poll for the Subhash Nagar ward, election for which is scheduled for July 23.

Altogether seven candidates had filed their nominations for the seat, of which one was rejected, leaving six people in the fray, the office of the state election commission said.

The commission has made all arrangements for the holding free and fair polls for the seat. Each of the 63 polling stations in the ward will be manned by five Government officials, including three polling officers and one presiding officer.

It is for the first time that election to the ward of MCD will be held with EVMs.

About 500 officials have been deployed at polling stations and the storage-cum-counting centre where EVMs and other elections materials will be recieved and stored after polling is over.

Elaborate deployment of police personnel has been made to guard police stations, place for storage of EVMs and for maintaining law and order and public order.

Polling stations have been divided into seven sectors, each under one sector officer and one police sector officer who have been provided with wireless sets and shall keep close vigil in the area going to the polls till the completion of the polling process.

Sector officers, along with armed police, will escort the EVMs and other election material from the polling station to the storage-cum-counting centre.

Apart from the police control room of the election cell of the Delhi police, a separate police control room has been set up at the headquarters of the state election commission at Kashmere gate, which is connected through telephone and wireless connection with the returning officer, observers, sector officer and the police control room to ensure free and fair polling in a peaceful and orderly manner.

The polling will be held from 0800 hours to 1700 hours on July 23. The counting of votes will be held on July 25 at the MCD community centre at Janakpuri and the results are expected before noon.

The commission has appointed Mr T C Nakh as observer for the poll and Mr Rikhi Ram as election expenditure observer to check account of election expenditure by the contesting candidates.

The by-election for the seat was necessitated after the apex court struck down the election of Sunita Bharti of the Congress for submitting a false scheduled caste certificate to contest the elections.

UNI AR VD RK1925