Foolproof security arrangements being made to ensure smooth urban local body polls in Jammu: DC

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Jammu Ramesh Kumar Tuesday said foolproof security arrangements will be in place for smooth conduct of urban local body polls in the winter capital next month.

The DC said voting in the district having one municipal corporation and seven municipal committees would take place on October 8.

"Foolproof security arrangements will be put in place to ensure smooth elections. An exercise is on to identify the sensitive and the hyper sensitive polling stations," Kumar told reporters here.

"The nomination process started from today and will continue till September 25. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on September 26, while candidature can be withdrawn by September 28. The polling hours will be from 7 am to 2 pm," he added.

Kumar said electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in the urban local body polls for the first time and elections will be on party-basis.

He said 50 returning officers have been appointed in the district for smooth conduct of elections. One EVM would be installed in each polling station with a reserve machine for backup, he said.

The DC said the model code of conduct had already come into force and asked the candidates and political parties to follow the guidelines.