01062024-JTR-01.qxd 6/1/2024 1:11 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune 7,500 POLLING STAFF LEAVE FOR 1,963 BOOTHS IN HOSHIARPUR GANG OF VEHICLE THIEVES BUSTED, 3 IN POLICE NET ARJUN KAPOOR, MALAIKA ‘PEACEFULLY’ PART WAYS About 7,500 polling staff left for 1,963 polling booths of the constituency in 9 assembly segments of 3 districts. P2 A CIA team claimed to have busted an inter-state gang of vehicle thieves and arrested its three members. P2 After dating for almost five years, actors Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora have parted ways ‘peacefully’. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 45°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 44°C | MIN 31°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7:19 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:22 AM SATURDAY | 1 JUNE 2024 | JALANDHAR Liquor meant for electorate seized Our Correspondent INBRIEF YOUTH BOOKED FOR KIDNAPPING Phagwara: The Mehat Pur police have booked a youth on the charge of kidnapping a minor. Investigating officer (IO) Harwinder Singh said the suspect had been identified as Balkar Singh, a resident of Vali Pur Khurd village, Ludhiana. Dalvir Kaur, a resident of Bath Kalan village, told the police that the suspect kidnapped her minor daughter by inducing her on the pretext of marriage. A case IPC has been registered. OC THREE HELD WITH STOLEN VEHICLES Phagwara: The Lohan Khas police have arrested three persons for stealing motorcycles and scooters. Investigating officer (IO) Sukhdev Singh said the suspects had been identified as Avijiwan Singh, alias Vinayk, a resident of Ghorra Mohalla, Zeera City in Ferozepur district, his wife Simaran Simmi and Harsh Sharma, a resident of Talwandi Sabo, Ferozepur. The IO said the police got a tip-off that the suspects, who used to steal vehicles, were coming here to sell a stolen motorcycle and a scooter. The police intercepted them at a naka and arrested them with a stolen motorcycle and a scooter. A case has been registered. OC 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL ABDUCTED Phagwara: Following a complaint lodged by Basanti Devi, a resident of New Patel Nagar, here, the police have registered a case under Sections 363 and 366A of the IPC against Sachin Kumar, a resident of Saharanpur (UP) and presently residing in Phagwara, on the charges of abducting the minor daughter (16) of the complainant on the pretext of marrying her. SP Rupinder Kaur Bhatti said the complainant told the police that her minor daughter was studying in Class IX in Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Phagwara. She was missing since evening of May 27. The complainant said she suspected that Sachin had abducted her daughter. No arrest has been made so far. OC Paramilitary forces and Punjab Police personnel check a vehicle at a naka; and (right) staff carrying EVMs and other election-related material leave for respective polling booths in Jalandhar on Friday. PHOTOS: MALKIAT SINGH 16.54L voters to decide fate of candidates today Polling teams for 1,951 booths dispatched, voting from 7 am to 6 pm; admn ready for peaceful voting in Jalandhar have been appointed and provided with extensive training on the election process. Additionally, 419 micro observers have also been deployed at the polling booths. The administration has also deployed drones to keep a check on law and order situation. The DC said these drones would assist checking teams engaged in curbing use of money power during the elections. Dr Aggarwal also stated that webcasting would be conducted at all 1,951 polling booths. A district-level control room has been set up at the local CT Institute to monitor the webcasting where activities at the polling stations would be monitored. The DC said to make the voting experience pleasant and comfortable for voters, 97 model polling stations have been established in the district, providing additional facilities such as drinking water, seating arrangements, medical assistance, organised queues and volunteers to assist voters. He elaborated that nine model polling stations had been set up in the Phillaur assembly constituency, 17 in Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 31 The district administration today dispatched polling parties for 1,951 polling booths as voting for Lok Sabha election is set to start from 7 am to 6 pm tomorrow. Deputy Commissioner-cumDistrict Election Officer Dr Himanshu Aggarwal and Commissioner of Police Rahul S said the district administration had made adequate arrangements for peaceful voting across the district where 16.54 lakh voters would be able to cast their votes. Dr Aggarwal mentioned that at the receipt centres and polling stations, arrangements for drinking water, food, tea, medical aid and other necessary facilities were ensured for the polling parties. He said there were a total of 16,54,005 voters - 8,59,688 male, 7,94,273 female and 44 third-gender voters - in Jalandhar district. To facilitate voters, 1,951 polling booths have been established across the district. To ensure the polling process runs smoothly and efficiently, 9,424 polling staff TOTAL VOTERS MALE FEMALE THIRD GENDER 16,54,005 8,59,688 7,94,273 44 26 CANDIDATES IN FRAY VOTING FROM 7 AM TO 6 PM The fate of 26 candidates, who are in fray from Jalandhar, will be sealed on Saturday. The contest remains between the candidates from five main parties. These include Charanjit S Channi from the Congress, Sushil Rinku from the BJP, Pawan Tinu from AAP, Mohinder S Kaypee from the Congress and Balwinder Kumar from the BSP. CPI (M) candidate Parshotam Lal is also in the fray. ■ Voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm on Saturday ■ 9,424 polling staff appointed and provided with extensive training on the election process. ■ 419 micro observers have also been deployed at the polling booths. Webcasting to be conducted at all 1,951 polling booths ■ Admn launches votejalandhar.in website to provide real-time information about queues ■ 454 vulnerable polling booths in the district GREEN POLLING BOOTH Kapurthala: The district administration has set up an exclusive green polling booth decked up with tree leaves, bamboo strips and flower pots where voters will get saplings after exercising their right to franchise. DC-cum-District Election Officer Amit Kumar Panchal said eco-friendly polling booth number 75 had been set up at the MGN College for Women to spread the message of green election as well as increase awareness among masses about sustainable living. He said it was completely plastic-free booth and no plastic material would be allowed inside it. Amid scorching heat, drinking water facility is available inside the booth in only earthen pots while the water cups are also made of terracotta. Shahkot, 10 each in Nakodar, Kartarpur, Jalandhar West, Jalandhar Central, Jalandhar North and Jalandhar Cantonment, and 11 in Adampur. Providing details about the arrangements made to pro- tect voters from the scorching heat, the District Election Officer said facilities for drinking water, waiting areas, tents, wheelchairs, refreshments, ramps and toilets have been ensured at each polling booth. In addition, considering the heat and the convenience of voters, the district administration has launched the votejalandhar.in website to provide real-time information about FAKE AUDIOS, FB PAGES Jalandhar: A day ahead of the polls, supporters of some candidates have started fake audios and Facebook pages. A fake audio message is being shared in which a man, who has a voice similar to that of Charanjit S Channi, introduces himself as Channi and says he somehow does not seem to be making it this time. Hence to keep PM Narendra Modi and BJP candidate Sushil Rinku away, votes should be cast in favour of the AAP candidate. Supporters of some political parties also started fake FB pages writing that Dera Sachkhand Ballan has announced support to BJP candidate Sushil Rinku. An FB page titled ‘Sangat Sachkhand Ballan Jalandhar’ put up his picture with the message. Soon after Ballan TV, official FB page of the dera, sent across a message that the dera does not get involved in elections and does not support any candidate. queues at polling stations from the comfort of their homes. This website will be updated every 15 minutes with information about the number of people in queues at all 1951 polling booths, facilitated by the ‘Chaun Mitra’ appointed at each polling booth. Further, the Election Commission has also introduced a ‘ Voter Queue Information System’ for the convenience of voters. Under this system, voters can send a message typing ‘vote’ on WhatsApp number 7447447217 to receive information about the number of people standing in line at their polling booth. The District Election Officer appealed to the voters to participate actively in this festival of democracy. Rahul S said special nakas would be laid across the district to check liquor and cash flow during the elections. Likewise, 184 sector Magistrates have been fielded to further strengthen law and order situation in the Parliamentary Constituency, he said, adding that no one would be allowed to take law and order in their hand. He said there are 454 vulnerable polling booths in the district wherein paramilitary forces would be deployed, besides micro-observes. Joint surveillance teams had strengthened checking at various points to curtail use of cash and liquor during elections. For ease of voting, admn sets Drones to keep check on use of freebies 39 expenditure-sensitive pockets selected, voters told to report suspicious activities up 97 model polling booths Tribune News Service Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 31 To elevate the voting process, the administration has set up 97 model booths across the district. Among these, nine are pink booths, exclusively managed by female staff and symbolised in pink theme, while one is exclusively for Persons with Disabilities (PwD), managed by PwD polling staff, another for youth, managed solely by young polling staff, and one designated as a green booth to raise awareness about the environment. These model booths are meticulously designed to offer a seamless voting process, equipped with stateof-the-art amenities. About nine to 10 model booths have been set up across each of the nine assembly constituencies of Jalandhar, with a section transformed into pink, youth-oriented, PwD-friendly categories etc. In these booths, the pink ones would be managed entirely by women, while the PwD booths underscore inclusivity and accessibility, TRIBUNE PHOTO Nakodar, May 31 The Flying Surveillance Team (SFT), working in the Nakodar segment of the Jalandhar Parliamentary constituency, yesterday seized 15 cartons of liquor meant for distribution among voters. SFT in-charge Gurmeet Singh said they got a tip-off that a huge quantity of liquor had been stored in fields of Sanghe Jagir village. The team reached the spot and seized 15 cartons of liquor stored in the toilet room constructed in a field. The team members informed the Excise and Police Department about the seizure. Nurmahal Station House Officer Varinder Pal Singh Uppal said the police arrested Baljinder Singh, a resident of Littran village, and recovered illegal liquor from the motor room constructed in the fields of Kulwant Singh, a resident of Sanghe Jagir village. On the complaint from excise inspector Sahil Ranga, a case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Punjab Excise Act has been registered. A model booth set up in Adampur constituency in Jalandhar. demonstrating the capabilities of PwD in significant roles. Similarly, the youthmanaged booths highlight the pivotal role of young individuals in the democratic process, nurturing a generation of actively engaged citizens. During a visit to a few of these booths, it was seen that they were adorned beautifully with dupattas, flowers and decorative materials to interweave a festive ambience into the electoral process. Apart from decoration, these booths are furnished with facilities such as air-conditioned rooms, tents, waiting areas, shamiana and refreshment stalls to enhance voter convenience. During a visit to one of the pink booths at HMV College, the entire area was seen adorned in a pink hue, complemented by pink flowers. A Continued on page 3 c m y b Jalandhar, May 31 To check the malpractice of influencing voters by parties and candidates through freebies, the Jalandhar administration has launched drone surveillance in expendituresensitive pockets ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Expenditure Observer Madhav Deshmukh, General Observer J Meghantha Reddy, District Election Officer Dr Himanshu Aggarwal and Commissioner of Police Dr Rahul S oversaw the exercise at various locations today. District Election Officer Himanshu Aggarwal said this initiative aims at curbing malpractices such as distribution of freebies and liquor in expenditure-sensitive pockets, which were highly sensitive. He said 39 expenditure-sensitive pockets had been identified within the parliamentary constituency where 24*7 drone surveillance was being conducted. The exercise was initiated at Chohakan village of Jalandhar Central in the afternoon. The teams later moved to a more sensitive area, Jalandhar West, in the evening. Dr Aggarwal emphasised Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Himanshu Aggarwal and Police Commissioner Rahul S address mediapersons in Jalandhar on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO 6,300 SECURITY PERSONNEL TO KEEP VIGIL IN CITY Jalandhar: To ensure that nothing goes wrong during the last phase of voting of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on Saturday, the city as well as the rural police have devised a detailed security arrangement plan in the district. The city police on Friday held a meeting with all security officers and briefed them over security arrangements during the poll. To ensure free, fair and peaceful elections in the district, as many as 6,300 security personnel - 1,800 Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMF) personnel and 4,500 Punjab Police personnel - would keep a strict vigil on the poll day. They would be deployed in the jurisdiction of the city and the rural police. Police officials claimed that joint teams of the CPMF and the Punjab Police would also be deployed round the clock at nakas across the city. TNS that anyone found violating the model code of conduct during this surveillance would face strict action. He reiterated the district administration’s commitment to conducting elections in a free, fair and transparent manner, ensuring that no one is allowed to break the law. The drone surveillance is part of a broader effort to maintain the integrity of the electoral process in Jalandhar. By deploying this advanced technology, the administration aims at enhancing monitoring capabilities and deterring any illegal activities to influence voters. Observers Madhav Deshmukh and J Meghanatha Reddy, along with Himanshu Aggarwal and Rahul S, visited several expenditure-sensitive pockets to ensure the effective implementation of this surveillance strategy. They expressed confidence that these measures would significantly contribute to a fair and impartial election process. The district administration appealed to all political parties and candidates to strictly adhere to the model code of conduct and urged voters to report any suspicious activities. 4.95L voters to exercise franchise in Nawanshahr Nawanshahr: As many as 4,95,000 voters will exercise their franchise in Nawanshahr on June 1. There are 615 polling booths in the district. Out of this, 207 booths are in Banga, 217 in Nawanshahr and 197 in Balachaur. There are voters in Nawanshahr. As many as 14,000 voters are in the age group of 18 and 19 years. Apart from this, there are 5,132 PwD voters. “There are 170 vulnerable polling booths in the district,” said ADC Rajiv Verma said.