30 counting centers complex to be set in Punjab in 23 cities/towns

Chandigarh, April 11, 2014: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has approved the proposal for setting up 30 premises (Counting Centers Complex) in 23 cities/towns in respect of 13 Parliamentary constituencies in Punjab for general elections to Lok Sabha-2014.
Interacting with media persons, Raminder Singh, Additional CEO Punjab said that as per the directions of ECI, one model polling station would be set up in each sub division having all the facilities including drinking water, chairs, toilets and ramps etc. He said that the ARO Sardulgarh Rajdeep Singh Brar (SDM) has been transferred on account of incompetence and disobedience of orders of RO. He said that the Chief Secretary has been asked to send a panel of officers for appointment as ARO there. He said that arrangements were being made for webcasting on 750 polling booths by roping the students and faculty of technical especially IT institutes.
The Additional CEO informed that today one each candidate Mamta (Sarvjan Samaj Party) from Gurdaspur, Surinder Kumar (Independent) from Bathinda and Iqbal Singh (Republican Party of India/A) from Fatehgarh Sahib has withdrawn their nominations. Besides this till date 2,43,763 licensed weapons have been got deposited and 368 absconders have been arrested after imposition of Model Code of Conduct in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Supreet Singh Gulati, Additional CEO informed that till date 57 FIRs have been registered regarding violations of MCC throughout the state. He said that 38,000 poster defacements were also removed and out of which 30,000 were in Ludhiana alone. He said that 110 Kg of Poppy Husk has been recovered in Hoshiarpur, 750 liters of illicit liquor in Gurdaspur, 9500 bottles of country liquor in Ferozepur and 1440 Kgs of Lahan in Amritsar.