The number of polling stations vulnerable to electoral offences in R.K. Nagar has increased. According to data compiled by the police and the district election officials as many as 30 vulnerable polling stations have already been identified. The number of vulnerable polling stations in 2015 in the constituency was just 22.
“The returning officer will meet with officials on Friday to finalise the vulnerable polling stations,” said an official. The police have collected information on susceptibility of voters to be influenced by persons in relation to the exercise of the right to vote. Election officials have also identified the persons or other factors causing such vulnerability.
“We will take corrective action well in advance on the basis of such identification,” said an official.
Following a final mapping of vulnerability, the police and election officials will increase the frequency of visits to neighbourhoods for confidence building measures. The Chennai District Election Office will also focus on all segment of voters vulnerable to threat and intimidation. However, officials said the process of identification of persons who make it vulnerable is likely to be challenging in the constituency because of the reluctance of residents to become ‘contact points’ even among the vulnerable community. The election officials and enforcement officials are trying to take out-of-the-box initiatives to develop reliable contact points within the vulnerable community with their mobile numbers, which will be ‘confidential information’.
“Police patrolling will be done in the vulnerable areas. Systematic voters’ education activities for awareness creation will be undertaken,” said a senior official of Chennai District Election Office. Enforcement officials will invoke various provisions including Section 123 (2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and Section 171C of the Indian Penal Code to reduce vulnerability of the areas to electoral offence, said an official.
