Mobile phones banned within 100 metres of polling stations

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

As soon as the schedule for the municipal corporation elections was announced, a joint meeting of the police and municipal administration was held on Wednesday at the Smart City Office. During the meeting, an important decision was taken that mobile phone usage will be prohibited within a 100-metre radius of polling stations. Voters will be required to deposit their mobile phones before entering polling stations. Police Commissioner (CP) Praveen Pawar said that all 1,400 polling stations be upgraded and equipped with necessary facilities, and that a detailed list be submitted to the police. Separate inspections of polling stations will be conducted by the police from a security perspective.

The 7th general election of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) will be held on January 15, 2026. For the first time, elections for 115 seats will be conducted under the prabhag-based system, leading to heightened public interest. All political parties have intensified their preparations, and the administration has also stepped up election-related arrangements over the past 48 hours. The meeting was held in the presence of CP and municipal corporation administrator G Sreekanth. Deputy commissioner of police Pankaj Atulkar, additional municipal commissioners Ranjit Patil and Kalpita Pimpale, assistant election officers, and senior officials from various sections were also present.

In-depth review of preparations

A detailed review of the entire election process was undertaken during the meeting. Discussions covered the number and locations of polling stations, arrangements for counting centres, complaints related to violations of the model code of conduct, police deployment on polling day, and essential facilities for voters.

Ensuring voters face no inconvenience

CSMC administrator G Sreekanth instructed officials to ensure the availability of basic facilities at every polling station, including drinking water, fans, ramps for persons with disabilities and senior citizens, temporary shelters where required, toilets, and proper lighting. Any shortcomings at polling stations must be addressed immediately, and all arrangements should be completed well before polling day. Conducting the elections in a free, fair, peaceful, transparent, and non-discriminatory manner is the collective responsibility of all concerned officials. They were also instructed to work within the legal framework without succumbing to any pressure.

Police to review polling stations

The CP said that once the final list of polling stations is prepared, it should be shared with the police department to enable proper planning and deployment of adequate security. To maintain secrecy and discipline during the voting process, voters will be strictly prohibited from carrying mobile phones into polling stations.

Emphasis on effective use of technology

To make the election process more transparent and credible, clear instructions were issued to ensure the effective use of CCTV cameras, webcasting facilities, and other modern technologies at every polling station.