More than ₹20.73 lakh cash as well as gifts worth ₹3.30 lakh have been seized by flying squads and static surveillance teams in the Nilgiris since the Model Code of Conduct came into force, said Collector J. Innocent Divya.
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Ms. Divya said that a total of 4,167 persons will be involved in ensuring that the elections are conducted smoothly in the district. All of them will be administered the COVID-19 vaccine, she said. Of the 4,167 persons on election duty are 2,600 school teachers and 250 college professors.
The number of polling stations in the district has also increased from 683 to 868, and people will be stationed there to ensure that all voters undergo thermal scanning. Efforts will be taken to ensure that hand sanitisers are kept ready for use by voters. Of the 868 polling stations, 112 have been classified as being “vulnerable” and will be provided additional security.
After meeting with the Nilgiris district SP, it was decided that the vulnerable polling stations will be monitored with the use of web-cameras, while polling will also be videotaped at these stations, said the Collector.
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In the Nilgiris’ three constituencies of Udhagamandalam, Coonoor and Gudalur, nine flying squad teams, nine static surveillance teams, three video surveillance teams, three video viewing teams, three accounting teams and three model code of conduct teams have been formed to take action against individuals or political parties found to be breaching the code of conduct.