Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : District Election Officer (DEO) cum District Magistrate (DM) Sanjeev Kumar, addressing a presser jointly with Bhojpur SP Aditya Kumar, said on May 18, 2019, para-military forces have been deputed at 680 of 1,410 critical booths under Ara parliamentary constituency (PC) , which will go to polls in the 7th phase of General Elections on May 19, 2019. The DEO said micro observers have been deputed at 492 of 1,410 critical booths while videography teams have been deputed at 115 polling booths.
Ara PC comprises seven assembly segments : Sandesh, Barhara, Ara, Agiao, Tarari, Jagdishpur, and Shahpur and altogether 20,72, 714 voters including 9,29,835 female voters would exercise their franchise at 2,162 booths housed located in 1,290 buildings of which 1,410 booths have been identified as critical, said DEO Kumar. Every polling booth has been provided with all the basic amenities like electricity, drinking water, urinal, lavatory ,and ramp for the physically challenged voters, said the DEO and added that the poll personnel may have food on payment. He said that name and number of booths, name of the panchayat and assembly have been displayed in black colour on the wall of the buildings concerned.
The DEO further said that the polling booths have been divided into 205 zones and 7 super zones while 150 QRT teams have been pressed into operation and seven super zonal magistrates have also been deputed. The DEO further said that 15 ideal booths have been set up where only ladies females have been deputed on election duty adding that live webcasting would be done at 19 polling booths and Ambedkar Residential School polling booth has been earmarked specially for the physically challenged persons where 372 physically handicapped persons could cast their votes.
DEO stated that to hold peaceful and fair parliamentary election borders of Bhojpur district have been sealed while the entry of big vehicles had been banned in the district since May 17, 2019, evening, till 10am on May 20, 2019, to stop the anti-social elements from intimidating the voters of weaker sections. Plying of two- wheelers has also been banned from 5am till 6 pm on May 19, 2019. He said that eight drop gates have been made at Babura OP, Bihata English Mor, western end of Arwal Bridge, Bhadwar Mor, Majhiaw Mor, Kundehswar temple, Navranga Chowki and eastern end of Koelwar Bridge where police force with magistrates have been deputed for intensive checking.
The DEO said that four layer security arrangements have been made to ward off any untoward incident during poll and added that SHOs of all the 36 police stations, sector magistrates, BDOs, COs would visit the polling booths under their respective jurisdiction while mobile police on motorcycles and MMP would patrol at Ara. He added that the EC has provided two helicopters for keeping vigil from air during poll day at Ara and even boat patrolling had been arranged in the rivers.
Bhojpur SP Aditya Kumar said that Bhojpur district has got 21 companies of para- military force and one company of SSB has been received for security of the strong room.