Patna, Jan. 23: The final list of polling booths to be used during the ensuing rural elections in Bihar would be ready by February 21. The state election commission (SEC), Bihar, has sent letters to all the district magistrates about the process to be adopted in identifying the polling booths and the guidelines that must be adhered to while carrying out the exercise.

Keeping around 15 to 20 per cent increase in the number of voters in mind, the SEC has directed the district magistrates to set up auxiliary polling booths where the number of voters has gone above 700. While selecting the polling booths, the district magistrates have to ensure they are in government or semi-government or public buildings.

In case of unavailability of such buildings, mobile booths can be set up on government land. No polling booth should be located in a police station, hospital or religious place.

The district magistrates, who also happen to be the district electoral officers (panchayat), will have to ensure that not a single voter has to travel more than 2km to cast his/her vote.

Keeping the interest of voters of weaker sections in mind, the SEC has directed the district magistrates to take special care while identifying booths for them so that nobody can influence them.

In order to ensure complete transparency in selecting places for setting up polling booths, the SEC has directed the district magistrates to invite objections from people after publishing a draft list of the polling booths. It has to be kept in public domain for 10 days. People can submit their objections if any, during that period.

To ensure that voters are aware of the publication of draft list, the SEC has directed to advertise it on a large scale. To be doubly sure that the message reaches to all sections of the society, the SEC has asked the district magistrates to rope in the services of drummers.

They would be used in rural markets to spread the message about publication of the draft list of polling booths.

The objections received have to be looked into by senior field officers. In no case, an officer below the rank of block development officer or circle officer will handle them.

Even after addressing the complaints the district magistrates would not be entitled to publish the final list of polling booths unless the SEC gives its approval to it.

In case of violation of this directive, the final list would not be legitimate and action would be taken against the official violating the directive.

The SEC intends to put up the final list of polling booths on its website. It has directed the district magistrates to provide the final list to the commission so that it could be uploaded on the website.