Polling for the 90-member Legislative Assembly in Haryana commenced on Saturday morning. With 2.03 crore voters eligible in Haryana election, the fate of 1,031 candidates hangs in the balance.
Authorities have established a total of 20,632 polling booths across the state. Voting will continue until 6 PM, supported by tight security measures. Officials confirmed that there have been no delays in starting the process. Notably, in rural areas, voters began arriving at polling stations even before the official start time of 7AM.
In Haryana Election, the contest is predominantly bipolar. The ruling BJP aims for a third consecutive term, promoting its “double-engine” government despite facing internal challenges. Meanwhile, the principal opposition, the Congress party, seeks to unseat the BJP. They cite growing discontent among key groups, including farmers, employees, the unemployed, and wrestlers.
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Both the BJP and Congress are contesting on 89 seats. However, political analysts indicate that the election landscape is more complex. Candidates from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) are also in the fray. This creates a multi-cornered contest in several constituencies.
Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal emphasized the importance of participation, stating, “Every vote counts.” He urged citizens to engage in this democratic process.
Of the eligible voters, there are 1.07 crore men, 95,77,926 women, and 467 third-gender voters. Agarwal noted that all polling stations will be monitored through webcasting at three levels, with control rooms set up at the state, district, and assembly levels to ensure a smooth voting process.
To maintain law and order, 225 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed, alongside 29,462 police personnel, 21,196 home guards, and 10,403 Special Police Officers (SPO).
Additionally, the ‘Voters-in-Queue’ app is available to assist voters in avoiding long waits at polling booths, particularly in urban areas. This app allows users to check queue statuses, updating every 30 minutes. Voters from 30 urban legislative assemblies can monitor conditions from home, enhancing the overall voting experience.