Poll-ready: 89 ‘sensitive’, ‘very sensitive’ booths

Gurgaon: Drawing lessons from the incidents of violence in Nuh and other districts of the state during the first phase of panchayat elections, the Gurgaon administration on Saturday claimed that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful polling in the second phase.
Some 291 booths have been set up in the district for panchayat elections, where 1,500 polling staff will be on duty. Of these, 89 booths have been designated as "sensitive" and "very sensitive". Apart from deploying more cops at these booths, videography will be done and micro observers will be stationed there.
Gurgaon deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said, "In terms of scale, these are small elections but very crucial ones. One vote can decide the fate of a candidate. Thus, these elections are very hotly contested. We have seen clashes among groups during the first phase of the polls. To avoid such a situation, we have taken preemptive measures."
The election of zilla parishad and panchayat samiti members will be held on November 9 and that of sarpanch and panchs on November 12. Around 3000 candidates will be contesting the gram panchayat elections. In the 10 wards of the zilla parishad, 65 candidates have filed their nominations.
There are 246 candidates in the fray for the 68 wards of the panchayat samiti.