GUJRAT: Closed-circuit cameras are being installed at sensitive polling stations for Azad Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly elections in LA-38, Jammu 5.

Polling is scheduled to be held on Sunday (tomorrow).

The deployment of Rangers for peaceful polling had been requisitioned by the returning officer, however, the local police and administration officials said it was not yet confirmed whether the Rangers would be deployed or not.

However, around 2,300 police officials have been assigned the duty to ensure law and order at the polling stations falling in Gujrat district.

Gujrat District Police Officer Umar Salamat chaired a meeting of senior police officials at Police Lines on Friday to finalise security arrangements for the polling. At least 32 polling stations out of a total 76 in Gujrat district have been declared sensitive where CCTV cameras are being installed, an official of the local administration told Dawn.

However, he said these cameras would only be meant for security and were installed outside the polling stations rather inside the polling booths.

LA-38 comprises Kashmiri emigrants from Jammu and settled in Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin districts and Wazirabad tehsil of Gujranwala district.

At least eight candidates, including PML-N’s Zeeshan Younis, PTI’s Akbar Ibrahim, PPP’s Ashraf Chughtai, JI’s Rana Mudabbar Siddique and Muslim Conference’s Raja Shahid Iqbal, are in the run for the seat.

The main contest is expected between the PML-N and PTI candidates.

The Government Comprehensive School, GT Road, has been made as election headquarters for LA-38 where polling material will be distributed among the polling staff on Saturday (today).

The administration has also finalised transportation facility for the polling staff.

At least four out of a total five seats of Kashmiri emigrants from Jammu are in Gujranwala division.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2021