As many as 47,473 polling stations have been set up for 141 National Assembly and 297 provincial Assembly seats in the province of Punjab for general elections 2018 on Wednesday (today). For 141 NA seats, the PML-N has fielded 136 candidates followed by the PTI with 134 candidates and the PPP has fielded 105 candidates.
Polling stations will be monitored through CCTV cameras. Indiscriminate action is to be taken on violation of code of conduct of election commission on the polling day. The caretaker provincial government has made all the necessary arrangements for impartial elections and special attention has been given to the aspect of security along with availability of necessary facilities at polling stations so that voters could independently use their democratic right.
Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Dr Hasan Askari in a statement said that comprehensive plan has been devised for peaceful and transparent holding of general elections. Similarly, effective arrangements have been made for the protection of voters and polling staff at polling stations. Restriction on carrying mobile phones to polling stations will be ensured and instructions have already been issued to the concerned officials and agencies in this regard, he added.
He said that special security arrangements have been made for sensitive polling stations. Similarly, all the necessary arrangements have been made to bring back ballot boxes to respective district returning officers from the polling stations. Dr Askari said that necessary facilities have been arranged at these polling stations. He said that important duty of holding national elections in a transparent and impartial manner will be performed in an appropriate manner. He said that casting vote is an important obligation and comprehensive steps have been taken at polling stations so that voters can use their right of franchise in a peaceful manner.
Dr Askari said that best security arrangements have been made to maintain peaceful atmosphere on polling day and added that digital monitoring system for polling stations has been activated.