With the announcement of election schedule for the State, Virudhunagar district administration has put in place static surveillance teams (SST) and flying squads to check illegal movements of cash and material and poll malpractices.
Virudhunagar Collector and District Returning Officer R. Kannan on Sunday said that all seven Assembly constituencies would have seven SSTs and flying squads each to work in three shifts a day.
“The required training for the squads have been given and they are already on the field,” he told reporters after conducting a meeting with representatives of all recognised political parties.
Stating that seven check-posts in each assembly segment had been opened to screen movement of vehicles, he said flying squads would move around the constituencies.
The district had 1,881 polling booths in the previous election and thier number had been increased by 489 in view of COVID-19 safety protocols.
The district administration had identified adequate number of polling officers for all 2,370 polling stations. “All poll-related officials will be given COVID-19 vaccines on priority,” he said.
Recalling that 91 polling stations were identified as sensitive booths in the district during the previous election, he said with the increase in number of polling booths their number would be revisited.
Toll-free number
Political parties, candidates and members of public should call toll-free number 1950 to air poll-related grievances and complaints.
In the previous elections, Returning Officers for each of the constituency received nomination papers from their respective offices in the Collectorate. However, this time they would receive the papers from the candidates from designated offices located within the jurisdiction of the respective assembly constituencies.
Helpdesks would be set up at the office of Returning Officers to help candidates and political parties to clear their doubts and enable filing online applications seeking permission to conduct processions and meetings.
Members of public were allowed to carry up to Rs. 50,000 without any supportive documents, Mr. Kannan said.
Stating that focused SWEEP activities would be held in all areas under polling booths where the voter turn-out was less than the district average in the previous elections. “We are trying to increase the voter turn out by 5% to 80%,” he added.
