The chief electoral officer (CEO), Uttar Pradesh, L Venkateshwarlu said the Election Commission was working on increasing the poll percentage in the state this coming general elections. “In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, 58.44% votes were polled in the state. We are trying to increase the poll percentage in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held in April-May, during summer, when the state is usually in the grips of a heat wave. Due to the rise in the day temperature, people tend to remain indoors and, in such a situation, increasing the poll percentage will be a major challenge for the Election Commission.

The Gautam Budh Nagar district will have over 14,88,926 voters in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The enrolment process to draw up the final voters’ list is still ongoing.

The list, which came out on January 31, suggests that around 60% of the total population of the district will be eligible to vote in the coming elections. There are 1,417 polling booths in the Gautam Budh Nagar district and currently work is ongoing to identify sensitive and sensitive polling booths.

After reviewing poll preparations in UP, chief election commissioner Sunil Arora had on Friday said DMs of all the districts had been directed to make arrangement of sheds, drinking water, regular power supply, toilets, waiting rooms and ramps (for people with disabilities and the elderly) at polling stations.

“A help desk should also be set up at polling centres to assist voters,” he said.

“Accessible election will be the priority of the Election Commission. The role of divisional commissioners will be increased to provide more facilities to people with disabilities and senior citizens. The Election Commission has also launched a mobile application for people with disabilities,” he said.

The Election Commission has also launched a helpline (1950) for people to register their complaints and suggestions.

Joint chief electoral officer, UP, Alka Verma said the Election Commission had identified booths where voter turnout was low in the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 assembly elections.

“The reasons for the poor turnout are being analysed with the help of local officials and citizens forum. Measures are being taken to increase poll percentage at all booths,” she said.

First Published: Mar 05, 2019 02:36 IST