VoL Desk, September 09: Following a press conference held by the National Conference and Congress party unit in Kargil, expressing apprehension over the absence of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in the upcoming 5th LAHDC Kargil elections, the District Magistrate convened a press conference to provide clarity on the concerns raised by political parties.

The press conference witnessed the presence of notable figures, including DC Kargil Shrikant Suse, SSP Kargil Anayat Ali Chaudhary, and ADC Kargil Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Wani. DC Kargil Shrikant Suse addressed the issue by pointing out that as per the LAHDC Elections Rule, Section 29 mandates the use of voting machines comprising two units: the ballot unit and the control unit.

He explained that the absence of VVPATs had raised concerns, but the LAHDC Elections Rule does not mention VVPATs. Special permission from the Election Commission of India is required for their use, and in this case, prior permission has been obtained for the M2-type machines to be used.

* Click to Follow Voice of Ladakh on WhatsApp *

He further assured the public that the M2-type machines are safe and have been challenged for fairness by the Election Commission in the past. These machines have also been used in previous LAHDC Leh elections without issues.

In addition to these measures, the machines were selected in July, with political parties invited for verification and checks. Randomization processes were conducted in the presence of political party representatives. Mock polls will also be held before and on the polling day to ensure the machines’ accuracy.

Micro-observers, a first for this election, have been deployed in addition to the five appointed observers to enhance transparency. CCTV surveillance is active in the strong room, and political parties can conduct their own surveillance from nearby locations. The Election Department’s primary objective is to conduct a free and fair election.

DC Kargil appealed to all political parties, election officials, and government officials to adhere to the model code of conduct, effective from the day of the fresh election notification.

He also mentioned that Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) who served in previous elections will continue in their roles, with their headquarters remaining the same. They have already started working in their respective offices on the first day of nomination filing following the new election notification.

Of the 278 polling stations, 114 are categorized as hypersensitive, 99 as sensitive, and 69 as normal, based on past behaviour and intelligence inputs regarding the current scenario.

SSP Kargil emphasized the presence of various Central Armed Forces companies in the area, ensuring the smooth functioning of the election process through regular patrolling. Additionally, women’s forces have been deployed exclusively at women-only polling booths to uphold the integrity of the elections.