A total of 5,800 Corporation personnel and another 1,200 Government employees and teachers will be deployed on election duty on Thursday when the by-poll for the post of Coimbatore Mayor will be held.
Video cameras would be installed to record the voting in 236 booths that have been declared as ‘vulnerable.’
According to Corporation officials, the city had a total registered voters of 12,90,652, including 6,52,731 men and 6,37,874 women besides 47 transgenders.
As many as 1,226 booths will be established in the 100 wards of the Coimbatore Corporation. Of these, 125 will be exclusively for women and an equal number will be for men alone. The remaining 976 would be for both genders.
A total of 1,380 electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used for the election. Of these, 123 EVMs would be on stand-by to be deployed in the event of technical snags. A total of 16 candidates are in the fray.
A Corporation official said that only those agents with valid photo-identity cards issued would be allowed inside the polling booths, entry to which would be tightly restricted. Use of cell phones has been banned inside the booths.
Voters in possession of a booth slip need not have any other proof.
For others, they must furnish any one of the following documents in order to cast their votes: EPIC Card, passport, driving license, PAN Card, photo-identity cards issued by the public sector companies run by the State or Central Government, passbooks issued before March 31 this year either by Postal Department or public sector banks, pension passbooks of ex-servicemen, freedom fighters certificates with photo, SC/ST/OBC certificates containing photos and issued by the appropriate authority before March 31, gun licences containing photographs, certificates with photographs issued by the Differently-abled Rehabilitation Department, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) cards, Smart Cards issued by the Labour Department and Aadhaar Cards, it was stated.
Corporation personnel were trained on poll duty in a two day camp held on August 30 and September 10. They will be issued orders regarding their election duty on Wednesday by around 9 a.m. They would have to report to their respective booths by 12 noon.
Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan said that almost the entire human resource of the city police would be deployed for the providing security during election.
About 3,000 police personnel including four Tamil Nadu Special companies and 350 Home Guards in the city would be deployed for duty on the day of polling.
A total of 88 mobile teams consisting of three police personnel in each team and 23 patrols will be on the move to check irregularities and untoward incidents.
Further 16 police pickets have been deployed in as many places across the city. The Alpha Team and the Quick Reaction Force of the city police would also be on stand-by for immediate deployment to tackle any emergencies.
The police said that each booth will have a policeman. Clusters of five or more booths in a polling station would be provided with two police personnel. As many as 116 booths have been identified as sensitive ones and will be provided with additional police force.
On the other hand, the Coimbatore District Police have made elaborate arrangements for the by-poll in a few local body posts in the Panchayat, and Town Panchayat level.
Superintendent of Police (SP), M. Sudhakar, said that about 250 police personnel will be deployed for the security arrangements in 66 booths in 30 locations – where the by-poll will be conducted on Thursday.
The SP, two ADSPs, seven DSPs and 10 inspectors will be on the move to check untoward incidents in these rural booths.
Corporation officials added that based on the complaints received from various political parties and candidates, as many as 516 banners containing political messages had been removed and 253 wall paintings were masked.
Further, 66 flags of political parties were also removed.
Those seeking to lodge complaints regarding election violations can contact the following number which would function round the clock: 0422 - 230 2323.
It will be operated by a three-member team and has received 69 complaints between August 29, when elections were announced, and September 16 noon.
Our Udhagamandalam Special Correspondent writes:
Nilgiris Collector P.Sankar said that two wards in the Kundah Town Panchayat and one ward in the Gudalur Panchayat Union will go to the polls.
Electronic Voting Machines for the former and ballot papers for the latter are ready.
About 35 poll officials have been imparted training. The polling booths and strong rooms for safeguarding the votes are ready. A security plan has been put in place.
In view of the elections, September 18 will be a paid holiday for government and private sector employees in Doddacombai, Mullimalai, Manjoor Bazaar and Manikkal of Kil Kundah town panchayat and Kolapalli, Tantea, Karuthadu, Kurinji Nagar, Kottadi, Thttamparai, Factory Mattam, Mazavan Cherambady, Muruganbady, Kalakolli, Kaavayal, Cheppanthodu, Punjakolli and Boodhamoola of Gudalur panchayat union.
