By IANS,
New Delhi : The Election Commission Wednesday appealed to every voter – young and old, living in rural or urban areas – to exercise their “most valuable democratic right” and vote in the third round of the general elections Thursday.
In the third phase, elections will be held in 107 parliamentary constituencies spread over nine states of Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, and two Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
“Nearly 14.40 crore (144 million) voters will be entitled to vote at these elections in 165,112 polling stations,” a statement issued here said.
It stressed that all arrangements have been made to ensure “free, fair and transparent” elections are held.
The poll panel said it had deployed police, including central police force, in adequate numbers to ensure safety and security of the voters so that they can come to polling stations “without any intimidation or obstruction” and go back home safely.
“Please (be) rest assured that your vote is, and will remain, secret and no one will be able to know for whom you have voted,” it said.
It explained that the voting procedure had become very simple due to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and one can vote by the mere press of a button against the name and symbol of the candidate.
The poll panel said that necessary arrangements have also been made at polling stations for providing shelter and drinking water so that electors do not suffer because of heat, rain or other vagaries of the weather.
“For physically challenged voters, ramps have been provided at the polling stations and for visually impaired electors voting machines have been made user-friendly for Braille-literate voters,” the statement said.
“The commission, therefore, urges upon and appeals to every voter – young and old, in rural and urban areas – to exercise his or her most valuable democratic right to vote at the elections tomorrow (Thursday),” it added.