Over 1200 prisoners to exercise their franchise in J

Jammu, Nov 14 (UNI) With all preparations done for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election on November 17, not only the voters from various constituencies in different districts but also over 1200 prisoners in different jails of Jammu region would exercise their franchise.

''Apart from the arrangements for the smooth conduct of the election process in Jammu and Kashmir, essential preparations are also being made for the prisoners, who will be participating in the elections from inside the jails,'' official sources told UNI.

The sources however, said around 2000 prisoners from all the three regions of the state would take part in the voting process including over 1200 inmates from ten districts of the Jammu region.

''The prisoners have been categorised according to the Act of Election Commission of India (ECI) and it is the Home Department that finalises the eligible detenues,'' well placed sources said, adding, ''service voters, preventive detention detenues and the special voters are the kind of prisoners being differentiated during elections.'' The sources further revealed that voting is being done through post ballot process under section 12(c) of the Act and the papers were delivered ten days prior to the polling date.

''After the electoral process, the ballots are sent back to the office of the Election Commissioner, which reaches before counting,'' sources maintained.

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