EVM movement, mock polls will mark hours leading to civic election; BMC officials, staff brace themselves for mammoth endeavour
The civic headquarters witnessed a flurry of meetings and logistical preparations on Tuesday. Representation pic/Shadab Khan
With polling day approaching, officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation are preparing for nearly 72 hours of continuous work from Wednesday morning to Friday night. The civic headquarters witnessed a flurry of meetings and logistical preparations on Tuesday, a day before the final phase of operations begins ahead of the BMC elections scheduled for January 15.
On Wednesday, Electronic Voting Machines will be transported from central godowns to polling centres across the city and secured under lock and key. Election staff will be required to camp at the polling stations once the machines arrive. Mock polling will be conducted on Thursday morning between 5.30 am and 7.30 am, followed by voting later in the day. Vote counting will take place on Friday.
According to officials, EVMs are currently stored at two civic godowns. The BMC’s EVM godown at Vikhroli houses 10,800 Control Units and 13,500 Ballot Units, while the godown at Kandivli holds 9200 Control Units and 11,500 Ballot Units. Voting will be held on Thursday, January 15, from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm. However, voters who enter polling stations before 5.30 pm will be allowed to cast their votes, and polling may continue till 8 pm if required. Counting of votes is expected to begin at around 10 am on Friday.
Meanwhile, the civic vigilance department has been placed on high alert to ensure strict compliance with the silence period by all political parties. To review election preparedness, Ashwini Joshi, additional municipal commissioner (City), visited the central election office in N ward and inspected a polling station at Shivaji Technical Institute on Tuesday. Officials were instructed to ensure that all necessary facilities are in place for voters on polling day.
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