Kerala Assembly polls | All set for voting today in Alappuzha

2,643 booths in nine constituencies in Alappuzha

April 05, 2021 07:21 pm | Updated April 06, 2021 01:00 am IST - ALAPPUZHA

Last-minute preparations:  Polling officials making arrangements at a polling station at Kidagamparambu Lower Primary School in Alappuzha on Monday. Suresh Alleppey

Last-minute preparations: Polling officials making arrangements at a polling station at Kidagamparambu Lower Primary School in Alappuzha on Monday. Suresh Alleppey

All arrangements are in place for the Assembly elections in nine constituencies in the district on Tuesday.

Polling officials collected election materials and reached 2,643 polling stations set up across the constituencies by Monday evening.

District Collector A. Alexander said that measures had been taken to conduct the elections in a free and fair manner. The elections would be held adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

Voting will begin at 7 a.m. and go on till 7 p.m. COVID-19 patients/suspected persons will be allowed to cast their vote between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

A total of 17,82,900 electorate, including 9,32,176 females, 8,50,720 males and four transgenders, are eligible to exercise their franchise.

A total of 12,157 officials have been deployed for election duty. They have all been administered the COVID-19 vaccine. Nine each model polling stations and women-friendly stations have been set up in the district. For differently abled voters, vehicle and wheelchair facilities will be provided.

Of the total polling booths, 151 have been identified as sensitive and another 50 as critical. A total of 103 micro-observers have been deployed at critical booths. Besides, CCTV cameras have been installed and Central forces deployed there. In order to ensure transparency and avoid untoward incidents, measures have been taken to webcast all proceedings from 1,206 polling booths on election day. A control room has been set up at the district collectorate to coordinate activities related to webcasting.

Security has been shored up in the district in view of the Assembly polls. District Police Chief G. Jaidev said that 4,597 personnel were deployed to ensure the peaceful conduct of elections.

Sixty candidates are in the fray in the district.

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