Over 40,000 personnel deployed as Arunachal goes to local body polls today

Itanagar, Dec 14 The stage is set for elections to two municipal bodies and the three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions in Arunachal Pradesh, with state election authorities deploying more than 40,000 personnel to ensure the smooth conduct of the local body polls scheduled for Monday, officials said.

State Election Commissioner (SEC) Rinchin Tashi said on Sunday that elections will be held on Monday in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC) along with three-tier Gram Panchayats, including the zilla parishads.

The balloting will begin at 7 a.m. on Monday and will end at 4 p.m., he added.

The ruling BJP already won 58 Zilla Parishad seats unopposed while the National People's Party (NPP) secured one seat.

Four BJP candidates were elected to the IMC without any contest while altogether 5,037 BJP nominees for gram panchayat seats have also been declared elected uncontested.

In all, 440 candidates are in the fray for 186 Zilla Parishad seats, while 39 are fighting for 16 IMC wards and 21 for eight wards in PMC.

Overall 8,31,648 voters, including 7,59,210 for panchayat bodies and 72,438 for municipal elections, are eligible to exercise their franchise.

According to the SEC Tashi, in all 2,171 polling stations for panchayat elections, 67 for IMC and 12 for PMC were set up.

He said that in the panchayat polls, female voters outnumber their male voters.

The SEC said that more than 40,000 personnel, including 15,000 polling staffers were engaged, to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used for municipal polls, and ballot boxes for panchayat voting, he added.

Counting of votes will be held on December 20.

Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lieutenant General K.T. Parnaik, (retd.) on Sunday has appealed to every voter in the state to participate wholeheartedly in the Monday's Panchayat and Municipal elections.

The Governor said that Panchayati Raj Institutions, working at the grassroots level, are essential for meaningful public participation in development planning and implementation.

He also added that municipal councils, urban bodies directly elected by the people, have immense responsibility and authority to promote development, and he urged them to fully utilise their powers to better serve their communities.

Reflecting on India's democratic legacy, the Governor reminded citizens that the country stands as the world's largest democracy, founded on universal suffrage and adult franchise.

Every vote, he emphasised, carries great significance and must be exercised with sincerity, not only as a Constitutional right but as a moral and national duty.

Lieutenant General Parnaik, (retd.) also called upon all officers on election duty to uphold the highest standards of devotion, impartiality, transparency, and accountability to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections across the state.

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