533 polling stations declared ‘highly sensitive’, 890 ‘sensitive’ in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi : The local administration has established total 2,540 polling stations where all arrangements have been finalised for general election which would be held on February 8, 2024.

District Returning Officer (DRO) Focal Person Rameesha Javed told ‘The News’ that we have declared 533 polling stations ‘highly sensitive’ while 890 ‘sensitive’ polling stations in Rawalpindi district. We have finalised all arrangements related of general elections, she said. We have installed CCTV cameras in all sensitive polling stations to monitoring all activities all around on Election Day, she claimed.

The total number of voters in the national and provincial constituencies is 3.6 million including 1.85 million male and 1.74 million female voters. The District Election Commissioner has released the final polling scheme for seven National Assembly and 14 provincial assembly seats of the Rawalpindi district. This polling scheme has been provided for all returning officers and all parties and independent candidates.

There will be no change in this district-wide polling scheme. All the candidates can now get the final polling scheme anytime from the offices of the District Election Commission, District Returning Officer, and Returning Officers after payment.

All ROs will begin inspection of polling stations and will ensure the facilities available in the polling stations as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). All polling stations have been set up in government buildings, educational institutions, municipal departments, health offices, dispensaries, mini-hospitals, and veterinary hospitals.

As many as 2,671 polling stations and 6,936 polling booths will be set up for the elections out of which 989 will be reserved for men, 964 for women and 718 will be joint polling stations. As many as 3,463 polling booths for men and 3,473 for women will be set up in the district.

As many as 2,671 presiding officers and 13,872 assistant presiding officers will perform their duties, while 6,936 polling officers and 2,671 deputy messengers will assist. Of 462 polling stations for the NA-51 Murree seat, 101 for men and as many for women there will be a total of 260 joint polling stations and 1,431 polling booths. There are a total of 538 polling stations in NA-52 Gujjar Khan out of which 169 are for men, 168 for women and 201 are for joint polling stations. Total number of polling booths will be 1,302.

The NA-53 circular will have 319 polling stations including 81 for men, 74 for women and 164 joint polling stations. There will be a total of 844 polling booths. There are a total of 344 polling stations for the NA-54 Taxila, including 138 for men, 137 for women and 69 combined. As many as 861 polling booths will be set up in the constituency.

As many 311 polling stations, including 156 for men, 148 for women and seven combined, besides 778 polling booths will be established in NA-55 Rawalpindi Cantt. There are a total of 371 polling stations for NA-56 Lal Haveli City including 181 polling stations for men, 188 for women and two are common, while there are a total of 940 polling booths.

Similarly, as many as 326 polling stations, including 156 for men, 155 for women and 15 joint polling stations will be set up in the NA-57 City II. As many as 780 polling booths will be set up in 326 polling stations. The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has arranged over 100 wagons, buses and Suzuki to bring all necessary items to polling stations a day before Election Day. The transport also bring polling staff to polling stations on Election Day.