To monitor vulnerable polling stations in all the eight Assembly constituencies in the district, a total of 362 micro observers have been appointed, District Election Officer and Collector C. Kathiravan said here on Tuesday.
A meeting was held at the Collectorate to discuss the steps to be taken for ensuring peaceful polling on April 6 in which general observers and officials took part. Mr. Kathiravan said that vulnerable polling stations identified in each constituency were: Erode East – 20 polling stations, Erode West – 39, Modakkurichi – 31, Perundurai 67, Bhavani – 28, Anthiyur – 34, Gobichettipalayam – 66, Bhavanisagar (Reserved) – 19. A total of 362 polling stations, including 20% stations in reserve areas, were identified and micro observers would monitor the polling on April 6, he added.
Mr. Kathiravan said that they will be monitoring the mock polls and declaration of results, timing of conducting the mock polls, whether EVMs and VVPATs worked properly, whether polling began and ended at the correct time and other activities at the polling stations. They will also monitor whether the documents that were approved by the Election Commission of India for voting were accepted by the polling officials. Apart from this, they will also monitor COVID-19 precautionary measures and norms were followed during the polling.
In Namakkal, micro observers who would be deployed in vulnerable polling booths were given training here on Tuesday.
District Collector K. Megraj, general observers, Shashidhar Mandal, P.A.Shobha, Navjotpal Singh Randhawa, A.B.Gor addressed the trainees and advised them on various procedures to be followed for smooth conduct of the elections.
They were advised to ensure that all facilities are available at polling booths and micro observers should submit their post polling reports in person with general observer.
According to officials, 215 vulnerable booths have been identified in the district.
