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Cab ban stumps bypoll arrangements

Last Updated 04 May 2016, 10:08 IST

Uncertainty over availability of diesel-run vehicles has forced the State Election Commission to chalk out a crisis plan for smooth conduct of the May 15 civic bypolls.

The panic button was pressed soon after transporters engaged by the poll commission for election work expressed inability in supply vehicles due to the Supreme Court ban on diesel vehicles.

State Election Commissioner Rakesh Mehta on Tuesday held a review meeting with the Delhi government’s Transport Department to help arrange non-diesel vehicles for ferrying election staff and voting machines.

“We requested the Transport Department to arrange 120 big vehicles,” Mehta told Deccan Herald.

“After the Supreme court order, the taxi owners can’t supply diesel cabs as they are banned. We need big vehicles to carry EVMs (electronic voting machines) and other election related material,” said Mehta.

“We were looking for Innova vehicles, but all Innova vehicles run on diesel. So we have
to get other vehicles,” said Mehta.

Engage petrol vehicles
The State Election Commission has suggested to the Transport Department to engage CNG or petrol vehicles like Maruti Ertiga, Eeco, and Swift Dzire.

The last date for withdrawal of nomination was April 30.

Of the 13 wards where the by-polls will be held, seven are in South Corporation, two in East Corporation and four in North Corporation.

The byelections will fill the vacancies in these wards caused by the resignation of councillors from there after their election to Delhi Assembly.

After December 2013 Assembly elections, nine councillors resigned from their posts after being elected as MLAs. Following the February 2015 Assembly elections, four more councillors were elected MLAs, and they also resigned from the corporations.

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(Published 04 May 2016, 10:08 IST)

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