Campaign ends, MBMC gears up for peaceful polls

As campaigning came to a halt on Friday, more than 5.93 lakh voters in the twincity will decide as to who will rule the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) which goes to poll on Sunday (August 20). Counting will held on the following day.

Candidates from various political parties and independents numbering 509 will be contesting from 95 wards, for which 774 polling booths have been set up across the region.

While only nine booths are sensitive in nature, not even a single polling station has been marked as hyper-sensitive or critical. Based on the guidelines of the state election commission, a survey was conducted by the returning officers along with the Thane (rural) police in the jurisdiction to check the vulnerability of polling booths across the city. Apart from construction of ramps and wheel chairs for the physically challenged and senior citizens, provision of basic amenities including drinking water, shelter from rain will be ensured at the polling stations.

2,626 electronic voting machines (EVM) and 1,000 control units will be pressed into service. Nearly 4,750 government employees have been deployed on poll duty, even as tight security arrangements have been made by the Thane (rural) police with a strong force of 1,842 police personnel led by 161 police officials along with 300 home guards who will be on alert to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls.

Field and traffic staff will do their duties separately to manage the traffic and law and order in their respective areas Eight counting centers have been identified each equipped with strong rooms to store EVMs and CCTV cameras to monitor activities. This apart from 3 flying squads, eight static surveillance teams and drone mounted cameras to keep a watch on any type of violation of the in-force model code of conduct.