LS Polls Phase VI: 51.48 per cent polling in Haryana till 3 pm

Haryana recorded 51.48 per cent polling till 3 pm on 10 Lok Sabha seats, which are undergoing polls on Sunday, the sixth phase of seven-phased parliamentary elections.

All the 10 seats which are undergoing polls in the state are - Ambala (reserved for scheduled caste), Kurukshetra, Karnal, Sonipat, Hisar, Sirsa, Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Rohtak, Gurgaon, and Faridabad.

A total of 223 candidates are in the fray here for these ten Lok Sabha seats. The seventh and last phase of elections will take place on May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

The state is witnessing multi-cornered contest on most of the seats. The first time player in the Lok Sabha election - Raj Kumar Saini led Loktantra Suraksha Party (LSP) in alliance with the BSP and Ajay Chautala led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) - has added a new dimension to the ballot of ballots in the state.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is in the fray from Sonipat, while his son Deepinder Singh Hooda is seeking re-election from Rohtak seat. Union Ministers Rao Inderjit Singh is seeking re-election from Gurgaon, while Krishan Pal Gurjar is in the fray from Faridabad Lok Sabha seat.

Bhavya Bishnoi, a grandchild of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, is in the fray from Hisar Lok Sabha seat on the Congress ticket against sitting MP Dushyant Chautala, also a grandchild of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. Former Union Minister Kumari Selja is trying her luck from Ambala seat.

As many as 90 strong rooms have been set up at 30 locations in the state to keep safe the EVMs and VVPAT machines after the completion of voting. The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) would remain deputed outside the strong rooms and CCTV would keep an eye inside the strong rooms.

In a statement, Joint Chief Electoral Officer (JCEO) Dr Inder Jeet said that the strong rooms have been set up as per the directions of Election Commission of India (ECI). He said that as per the directions of ECI, the Returning Officer would visit the strong room thrice. The videography would be carried out of the entire process of keeping the EVMs and VVPAT machines in the strong room and sealing the room.

"The strong room would have only one door. If the strong room has more than one door, then all other doors and windows would be sealed except one door. The strong room will be double locked and it would have three-tier security system," he said.

Dr Inder Jeet said that facilities such as toilet, drinking water and shed would be provided to candidates and their election agents outside the strong room. He said that log book would be kept for maintaining the record of incoming and outgoing people from the strong room. The log book would be maintained by the Returning Officer or District Electoral Officer, he added.

He said that as per the directions of the ECI, the strong room can be opened only in case of emergencies such as outbreak of fire, flood or earthquake, but it would be necessary to inform the ECI and take prior approval.

"In case of emergency, the EVMs and VVPAT machines would be shifted from strong room to some other place in the presence of Returning Officer, District Electoral Officer, candidates or their election agents and CAPF. Videography would be carried out of this entire process," he added.