709 new polling booths in MP following Election Commission’s nod

Bhopal: The Election Commission has approved setting up of 709 new polling booths in Madhya Pradesh during coming Vidhan Sabha elections. With this, voters in the state will cast their ballots at 53 thousand 903 polling booths for Vidhan Sabha elections.
As on September 2012, there were 53 thousand 194 polling booths in Madhya Pradesh. The State had sent proposal for setting up 763 new polling booths. This included proposal for 507 polling booths due to number of voters in existing booths exceeding 1500 and 254 due to distance of over 2 km from existing booths. Due to various reasons, the commission has abolished 54 booths and sanctioned 709 new polling booths. Thus with addition of 709 new polling booths, their number in the state has increased from 53 thousand 194 to 53 thousand 903.
It is noteworthy that number of polling booths was 46 thousand 812 and voters 3 crore 62 lakh 77 thousand 826 during Vidhan Sabha elections in year 2008. During Lok Sabha elections in year 2009, number of polling booths and voters increased to 47 thousand 820 and 3 crore 80 lakh 83 thousand 778, respectively.
Similarly, the number of voters increased by 78 lakh 56 thousand 556 from Lok Sabha elections 2009 upto December 2012 and 96 lakh 62 thousand 506 as compared to Vidhan Sabha elections 2008. The Election Commission has directed the Chief Electoral Officer to acquaint office-bearers of all political parties with rationalisation of number of polling booths.