The Election Commission (EC) of India will station “two central observers” in each of Jammu and Kashmir's five Parliamentary constituencies, while micro-observers will be engaged by the UT election body in 11,629 Polling Stations to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections as well as vote counting.
The observers, likely to be senior officials, will be sent to the UT’s five Lok Sabha constituencies, including Udhampur-Doda, Jammu-Reasi, Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri, sources said. They will tour the Parliamentary constituencies allotted to them and take all possible measures to ensure smooth polling with no complaints of irregularities, sources add.
Similarly, the chief electoral officer (CEO) of J&K will deploy micro observers to oversee the conduct of the elections.
J&K now has 11,629 polling stations, a substantial increase from 10,757 stations in 2019, to accommodate the increasing number of voters in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The CEO has also identified a dozen zones where men and machinery are likely to require “air support” in case of inclement weather conditions. These zones include Marwah, Warwan, Dachchan, Machail, and Paddar in Kishtwar; Karnah, Keran, and Machil in Kupwara; and Gurez, Tulail, and Baktore in Bandipore.
Reports say if the passes are open troops and machinery will be transported to the upper reaches of J&K by road. In case of severe weather the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be contacted for airlifting sorties.
Elections will be held in the Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary seat in the first phase on April 19, while the Jammu-Reasi segment will vote in the second phase on April 26.
People in the Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri section will vote on May 7. The fourth and fifth phases of voting for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat will take place on May 13 and May 20, respectively.
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