Delhi Lok Sabha polls: Security beefed up; special measures to combat heatwave

The security in and around the national capital, Delhi, has been beefed up as the city prepares for the Lok Sabha elections on May 25. The authorities have also made preparations at polling booths across Delhi in view of the India Meteorological Department's heatwave warning.

Additional DCP Vishnu Kumar Sharma told ANI on Thursday, “In Shahdara, there are 166 polling stations and 827 polling booths. Staff has been appointed as per the guidelines of the Election Commission. A staff of 2500 will be on duty that day... The staff was briefed on May 20 and today... Drones will be used at sensitive polling booths...”

The police officer further said the national capital's temperature is set to cross 45 degree Celsius on Saturday. The election authorities have briefed polling booth staffers about how to combat the heatwave and make necessary preparations for voters.

Click here for full coverage of the Lok Sabha election 2024

"Glucose and ORS have been distributed to the staff and they have been told that they must also carry necessary things with them to protect from heatwave," he added.

Voting will take place in a single phase in Delhi on May 25 for all seven Lok Sabha seats, in a fierce battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the INDIA bloc, comprising of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The INC and AAP are fighting the elections in alliance in the national capital, with the AAP contesting four and the Congress three seats.

The seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi are Chandni Chowk, East Delhi, New Delhi, North East Delhi, North West Delhi, South Delhi, and West Delhi.

For phase six of the Lok Sabha polls, a total of 889 candidates from eight States and Union Territories (UTs) will contest elections in 58 constituencies. Voting across all constituencies will commence at 7 am and end at 6 pm.

The seventh and the final phase of the general elections in India will take place on June 1, and the counting of the votes will take place on June 4.

(With inputs from ANI)