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Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh says the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir will be fairer and more transparent than the 1977 poll in the state.
The 1977 assembly election -- which returned Sheikh Abdullah to power after 20 years in the political wilderness -- is widely seen as the only free and fair election the state has had in an electoral history tainted by rigging, fixed results and other polling malpractices.
The CEC said every effort is being made to ensure the credibility of the franchise.
"Measures are underway to leave no room or chance for any sort of rigging, booth capturing or any malpractice," Lyngdoh told a meeting at the Commission on Sunday.
The electoral rolls were being computerised for the first time in the state, he said, adding it would help the electorate to have voters slips at their door step.
The location of polling stations would be rationalised so that no voter would have to travel more than two kilometres to exercise her/his franchise, Lyngdoh said, and directed deputy commissioners that not more than three polling stations should be located in one area while finalising the lists of polling stations. Auxiliary and additional polling stations should be opened where they were needed. However, photo identity cards would not be made mandatory for the election.
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