How a polling station is set up and what arrangements are made
प्रकाशित
A polling station is where voters cast their votes. Under Section 25 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the district election officer, with the Commission’s prior approval, provides enough polling stations for each constituency. The list is published and suggestions are taken from political parties.
Norms for locating stations
Under Commission instructions a polling station should ordinarily be in a government or semi-government building, such as a school. Distance limits ensure voters do not have to travel far, and the Commission fixes the maximum number of electors per station. Private buildings, police stations, hospitals and places of worship are ordinarily not used.
Minimum facilities
- Ramps for voters with disabilities and elderly voters
- Drinking water and toilets
- Electricity and lighting
- Shade from sun and rain
- Signage showing the station name and number
The Commission calls these assured minimum facilities. Many places also have stations run by women staff, stations run by staff with disabilities, and model polling stations.
Polling party and security
Each station has a polling party made up of a presiding officer and polling officers. Vulnerable stations are identified in advance and may get extra security, micro observers or webcasting. Canvassing is barred within 100 metres of a polling station (Section 130).
Key points
- A polling station is where voters cast their votes.
- Under Commission instructions a polling station should ordinarily be in a government or semi-government building, such as a school.
- __UL__ Ramps for voters with disabilities and elderly voters Drinking water and toilets Electricity and lighting Shade from sun and rain
- Each station has a polling party made up of a presiding officer and polling officers.
The 2024 Lok Sabha context
In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Uttar Pradesh’s 80 seats were won as follows: Samajwadi Party 37, BJP 33, Congress 6, RLD 2, Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) 1 and Apna Dal (S) 1. Lok Sabha and assembly elections turn on different issues and alliances, so the two results should not be added together to reach a conclusion.
The structure of the House
The Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly has 403 seats. Of these, 84 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 2 for Scheduled Tribes. The majority mark is 202. The state sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha and 31 to the Rajya Sabha. The legislative council is a separate House whose members come through different electorates and nomination.
Official 2022 figures for context
For context, the 2022 assembly election had 15,12,46,168 electors and 9,21,62,897 votes polled, with statewide turnout of 60.94 percent. The BJP won 255 seats on 41.29 percent and the Samajwadi Party 111 seats on 32.06 percent. Apna Dal (S) won 12, the RLD 8, the SBSP and NISHAD Party 6 each, Congress and the Jansatta Dal Loktantrik 2 each, and the BSP 1.
The 2017 baseline
The 2017 assembly election had 14,16,63,646 electors and turnout of 61.22 percent. The BJP won 312 seats on 39.67 percent. The Samajwadi Party won 47, the BSP 19, Apna Dal (S) 9, Congress 7 and the SBSP 4. Three independents also won. Between 2017 and 2022, 125 seats changed parties.
Also read:
- Meerut district assembly results 2022
- Saharanpur district assembly results 2022
- Ayodhya district assembly results 2022
Source: Election Commission of India. Figures are from official statistical reports.
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