First phase of Lok Sabha polls to have 116 contestants

The Asian Age.

Metros, Mumbai

This includes Rs 30 crores in cash, liquor worth Rs 17 crores, drugs worth Rs 4.61 crores, gold, silver and other valuables worth Rs 44 crores.

The Election Commission of India office

Mumbai: The first phase of the Lok Sabha polls in the state will be held in seven constituencies, and will have 116 contestants in the fray. The Election Commission has made all elaborate arrangements for the polling, said officials of Election Commission.

The seven constituencies and the candidates contesting from these constituencies are: Wardha (14), Ramtek (16), Nagpur (30), Bhandara-Gondia (14), Gadchiroli (5), Chandrapur (13), and Yavatmal (24).

The EC has dispatched polling officials for 35 polling booths, which are located at remote places in the seven constituencies, said Dilip Shinde, additional chief electoral officer.

We have completed all arrangements for the first phase of the polls. The deployment of human resources, police forces and other security forces has also been done. Choppers are going to be pressed into service for transportation of the election officers and employees to extreme remote areas, he said.

According to EC officials, implementation of the model code of conduct has been strictly followed in the state and till date, cash and other consignments worth Rs 97 crores have been seized.

This includes Rs 30 crores in cash, liquor worth Rs 17 crores, drugs worth Rs 4.61 crores, gold, silver and other valuables worth Rs 44 crores. The cVIGIL made available to citizens to file complaints related to the breach of the model code of conduct is being effectively used by citizens across the state. Till now, 2,527 complaints have been received and 1,497 have been found genuine, on which necessary action has been initiated.

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