A total of 61 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered against political parties and candidates in Coimbatore district for violating the Model Code of Conduct, said District Election Officer and Coimbatore Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati here on Wednesday.
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“Campaigning by candidates and parties is not permitted any further. Except for voters, all others must leave the constituency. They are not permitted to stay in community halls, hotels or lodges. These places will also be checked randomly,” he said during a media briefing at the Collectorate on the preparations for the Lok Sabha polls scheduled for April 19.
Elaborating on security measures, the Superintendent of Police (Rural), V. Badrinarayanan, said that around 4,318 police personnel, and 800 non-police personnel, will be stationed at booths in rural areas.
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To enhance monitoring, 26 check-posts, including 13 at the State borders, have been intensified. Flying squads, static surveillance teams, and striking forces, comprising 108 police personnel, have also been deployed, the SP said.
As for the city limits, around 6,023 local police personnel, including 1,721 ex-servicemen and other non-police members, are to be posted at the polling booths.
Out of the 3,098 polling stations in Coimbatore district, there are 225 vulnerable polling stations at 54 locations in Coimbatore constituency, and 146 vulnerable polling stations at 53 locations in Pollachi constituency.
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Further, 30 locations situated in rural parts have been identified as vulnerable due to human-animal conflict. “Forest officers are monitoring all elephant corridors and vehicles have been deployed to divert animals in case they stray close to polling stations,” the SP said.
A significant amount of cash and materials have been seized across the 10 Assembly segments in the district, totalling ₹6.13 crore in cash and ₹7.72 crore worth of materials. Of this, ₹11.68 crore has been released, the Collector said.
He informed that 45 polling stations covering particularly vulnerable tribal groups have been identified, and arrangements have been made for transportation with 11 buses and five jeeps.
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A total of 2,845 postal ballots were received in Coimbatore constituency and 2,551 in Pollachi constituency. Additionally, 7,228 election duty certificates have been issued in the 10 Assembly segments in the district.
There are 21,06,124 voters in Coimbatore Parliamentary constituency and 15,93,168 in Pollachi Lok Sabha seat.
On model polling stations, he said they would operate on the theme ‘Sustainability and Eco-Friendliness’, with election officials at these booths dressed in native fabrics. Further, 13 women polling booths will feature rangolis as part of the decor. Polling stations where high voter turnout is expected, will have buttermilk counters.