Lok Sabha Elections 2019: In Delhi, 30 polling stations marked ‘vulnerable’

Most of these polling stations fall in the trans-Yamuna areas of East and Northeast Delhi, as well as in some segments of south and New Delhi Lok Sabha seats.

At least 30 polling stations in the national capital have been identified as “vulnerable to threat and intimidation” in the Lok Sabha polls on May 12 in the city, said Delhi’s chief electoral officer (CEO) Ranbir Singh on Monday.

Most of the polling stations in Delhi that have been identified as ‘vulnerable’ fall in the trans-Yamuna areas of East and Northeast Delhi, as well as in some segments of south and New Delhi Lok Sabha seats. (Arijit Sen/HT File)

Most of these polling stations fall in the trans-Yamuna areas of East and Northeast Delhi, as well as in some segments of south and New Delhi Lok Sabha seats.

The areas have been mapped under “vulnerable hamlets” where citizens’ right to vote could be influenced by various factors such as potential communal tension, intense political rivalry, thickly populated pockets and presence of anti-social elements.

The mapping exercise has been carried out along with the Delhi Police, which has taken action against 35 trouble-makers in the areas mapped, said Singh.

“Preventive action has been taken in all these area. Special security teams will be deployed in all these stations and a close watch will be kept through CCTV cameras,” the CEO said.

Of these hamlets, 10 polling stations fall in East Delhi parliamentary constituency, seven in Northeast, eight in South and five in New Delhi seat, said a senior official.

The vulnerable pockets mapped in East parliamentary constituency include Nizamuddin, Garhi-Moholla, Bhogal, Okhla, Shaheen Bagh, Taimoor Nagar and Shahdara, among others.

Similarly, seven booths fall in the Garhi Moholla-Bhogal, which is located in an isolated area adjacent to a railway track and has previous record of political rivalry.

The hamlets mapped also include villages such as Masjid Moth, Lado Sarai , Shahpur Jat, Tehkhand, K M Pur Village and Neb Sarai, among others.

Some other pockets susceptible to violence include Rohtash Nagar, Seelampur, Jangpura, Kasturba Nagar, Madangir and Sangam Vihar. Shaheen Bagh and Abul Fazal Enclave areas in Okhla were found to have 19 criminal history-sheeters because of which the area has been found susceptible to threat, an official from the state election office said.

A total of 5.76 lakh voters have been added to the electoral roll since the summary revision on January 18, 2019, said Singh.