EC extends poll timing by an hour in Arunachal Pradesh

Election Commission has extended the polling time by one hour for the April 9 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, Commission's Director General Ashish Srivastava said.
Srivastava, who is on a two-day visit to the state to assess poll preparation, told reporters here yesterday that polling would be held between 7 AM and 5 PM in Arunachal Pradesh on April 9 next.
The DG said all arrangements had been made for ensuring free, fair, error-free and peaceful polls in the state.
"The polls preparations are in place to provide a level playing field for all," he said.
"Central Observers have also been deployed to act as eyes and ears of the Commission and their mobile numbers will be published and also fixed scheduled time for meeting the Observers in each district," he said.

Steps have also been taken for deploying micro observers, video coverage in polling centres and webcasting in some locations.

Other measures, he said, included deployment of adequate central paramilitary forces, operationalisation of state surveillance team, flying squads, expenditure control team and model code implementation team.
He called upon all the stakeholders ranging from the voters, candidates, political parties, polling officials, media and all other stakeholders to make the 2014 polls a successful one.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Chandra Bhusan Kumar and IGP Satyendra Garg who were also present said Rs 42 lakh had been seized so far in the state while 4,276 licensed weapons had been deposited to the district authorities.