Election Commission team visits Gurdaspur to review poll

An Election Commission team today visited Gurdaspur to review preparations for the October 11 bypoll for the Lok Sabha seat.
Avinash Kumar, Secretary, Election Commission of India, accompanied by Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi who was sent there on deputation, and Manjit Singh Kang, Additional Election commissioner Punjab, held a meeting with the district officials of Gurdaspur and Pathankot to review poll preparedness.
The chief electoral officer directed the administrations of both the districts to complete the election process in a peaceful manner and enforce model code of conduct in true spirit.
He said the administration should provide voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines to employees deployed on the election duty.

The team further directed the police administration to further strengthen security in border areas of two districts.
The Inspector General of Police (Border range), SPS Parmar, has demanded paramilitary force from the Central government for deployment in the border areas.
The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll has been necessitated by the death of BJP MP Vinod Khanna. Polling will be held on October 11 and the results will be declared on October 15.