Full Election Commission, after reviewing the poll preparedness in Gujarat has announced that almost 40 per cent polling stations in the state are sensitive and need for special security and administrative arrangements during the two phase polling.

Addressing the press conference at Ahmedabad after a daylong review meetings, the Chief Election Commissioner Mr. V. S. Sampath has said that there is a total of 44,579 polling stations across the state of which nearly 40 per cent have been marked as sensitive and vulnerable, based on categories like communal, anti-social, higher use of money and muscle power. He said that each such booth will be guarded by paramilitary forces and nobody will allowed inside the booth except voters and those on official duty. Mr. Sampath said that Election commission will take all necessary steps to ensure free, fair and impartial poll in the state.
Mr. Sampath said that Election Commission has also initiated for vulnerability mapping of sensitive areas and officers have been asked to identify the areas of vulnerable and weaker sections of the society for their fearless participation in the Election process.
Mr. Sampath said that till now, the focus of Election Commission is on enrolment of electorate but now onwards, the focus will be shifted on education and active participation of voters in the election process. Our Ahmedabad Correspondent reports that Chief Election Commissioner has praised the state machinery to register record number of young voters in the age group of 18 to 19 years which has gone up to from 1.32 per cent to 2.01 per cent of total 3.80 crore voters.