Coimbatore Corporation to have more than 1,100 polling booths

To enable 10,42,457 voters exercise their franchise

FOR COIMBATORE 19/09/2011:Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner T.K. Ponnusamy releasing the final electoral rolls for the ensuing local body elections at the Corporation on Monday. Deputy Commissioner S. Sivarasu (second right) is also in the picture. PHOTO S.SIVA SARAVANAN.

Coimbatore Corporation will have 1,101 booths, said Commissioner T.K. Ponnusamy while releasing the final electoral rolls at the Corporation on Monday.

The booths would be spread over the Corporation's 100 wards to enable 10,42,457 voters exercise their franchise. Each of 1,101 booths would require five staff – a presiding officer and four polling officers, two of who would take care of as many electronic voting machines.

In this election, the Corporation would use two EVMs – the first for the mayor's post and second for the ward councillor concerned.

If the number of contestants in a ward goes past 16, the Corporation would use an additional EVM.

The civic body would also be forced to use an additional EVM in all the wards if the number of people contesting for the mayor's post touches 17.

Security

Mr. Ponnusamy said that all the booths are poll-ready. The police would identify the sensitive, communally sensitive and hyper sensitive booths and based on their inputs, the Corporation would strengthen the security.

Those who were not in the voters' list could apply for the same using Form 6 and submit the application with necessary documents at the taluk office concerned. They could apply to enrol their names till the date of nomination.

Sources in the civic body said that the Corporation was likely to have around 20 assistant returning officers (AROs) with each officer put in charge of around five wards. In a few cases, an ARO might take care of four wards and in others six wards.

Assistant commissioners, assistant executive engineers and executive officers of the municipalities to be merged would be designated AROs and they would receive, scrutinise and reject nominations.

The sources hinted that the Coimbatore district might have a two-phase election as the number of staff required was fewer than the number of staff present. The district was in need of around 22,000 election staff but had only around 16,500.