BHOPAL: Officials engaged in conducting bypolls in three assembly and one Lok Sabha constituencies in state have seized illicit liquor and narcotic drugs worth Rs 6.88 crore till date, said additional chief electoral officer Rajesh Kumar Kaul on Wednesday.
“Silence period for poll-bound constituencies began from 6 pm on Wednesday. All preparations have been made to ensure free and fair elections,” Kaul told media persons here.
Election Commission officials said during campaigning, excise officials and the police seized liquor worth Rs 181.79 lakh and other narcotic substances like marijuana, opium worth Rs 76,500 from poll-bound areas. Other intoxicants worth Rs 88.94 lakh were seized by police and excise officials. Overall, a seizure of Rs 6.88 crore was made in poll-bound areas.
Briefing on law and order situation, Kaul said 16,338 licensed weapons were deposited while 332 non-licensed weapons were recovered. Police officials have identified 24 vulnerable hamlets and made appropriate arrangements to secure them.
In all, Rs 416.72 lakh were seized by officials monitoring expenditure and finances in poll-bound constituencies.
Overall, 26,50,004 voters are entitled to exercise their franchise in four poll-bound constituencies, which include 19,68,805 voters for Khandwa Lok Sabha seat, 1,98,542 in Prithvipur assembly, 2,07,443 in Raigaon assembly and 2,75,214 voters in Jobat assembly constituency.
There are 2,908 polling booths in Khandwa Lok Sabha constituency, 306 in Prithvipur assembly, 313 in Raigaon while 417 polling booths have been set up in Jobat constituency. Out of total 3944 polling booths, 865 have been declared sensitive. To check and monitor unfair means, webcasting of 874 polling booths with be done while 361 booths will monitored through CCTV cameras.
Overall 10,027 Ballot Units (BU), 5517 Control Units (CU) and 5,886 VVPAT will be used to conduct voting for three assembly and one Lok Sabha constituency. These include reserve machines as well.
