Imphal, April 18: All the necessary preparation for smooth conduct of the 14th Lok Sabha election in the three Assembly segments of Ukhrul district have been taken up, Deputy Commissioner of the district Dr Suhel Akhtar, who is also the election officer of the district has stated.

Talking to reporters at his office chamber today, Akhtar informed that a total of 89,581 voters in the three Assembly segments of Ukhrul, Phungyar and Chingai would be casting their votes to elect their representative in 133 polling stations.

Akhtar said that out of the total polling stations, 16 have been declared as hyper sensitive, 28 as sensitive and the remaining 93 as normal.

Eight of the hyper sensitive polling stations are under the jurisdiction of Litan PS.

Home Guards and State police personnel would be deployed at all the polling stations while the personnel of Assam Rifles, CRPF and Manipur Rifles would be patrolling in and around the stations to ensure free and fair conduct of the election, he added.

He further informed that in all 124 vehicles including 41 Jeeps/Gypsies, 44 Tata Trucks, 11 Shaktimans, 15 buses and 8 Canters would be pressed into service for transportation of the polling personnel, security personnel and polling material.

Informing that 44/46 Khayang under Ukhrul A/C is the farthest polling station located at a distance of 86 kms from the district headquarters, the Deputy Commissioner said that the polling personnel on duty have to walk for atleast 38 kms to reach the polling station.

Polling personnel who have been assigned duties at the polling stations of 44/35 Rongshak under Ukhrul A/C abd43/44 Chahong Khullen under Phungyar A/C too have to walk a good distance of 18 kms and 14 kms to reach their respective polling stations, he added.

Polling personnel of six polling stations located in remote areas which can be reached only on foot have already left the district headquarters yesterday and polling personnel for 70 other polling stations have left today, the officer informed, adding that the polling personnel of the remaining polling stations would be following suit tomorrow.

Stating that heavy landslides which have occurred at two-three spots along the road leading to Kasom Khullen sub-divisions have created problems to the polling personnel in reaching their destinations, Akhtar said that efforts are being made to clear the road at the earliest possible.

Meanwhile, at least 36 female Home Guard personnel have sustained injuries when the bus (MN01-1253) they were travelling met with an accident at Nungshangkhong under Shangshak PS yesterday.

The female Home Guards, who have been assigned the duty of manning the polling stations as unarmed security personnel, were proceeding towards their polling station when the unfortunate incident occurred.

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