All is set for the polling for the Lok Sabha election and the by-elections to Tiruvarur and Thanjavur Assembly constituencies in central region on Thursday as election officials moved men and material to the polling stations on Wednesday. Security personnel also took positions in and around polling stations to ensure peaceful polling.
Right through Wednesday, election officials were busy transporting the electronic voting machines (EVMs) along with the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) devices, besides other polling materials to the polling stations. Vans and lorries were hired to transport as many as 81 different items to the polling stations.
For the first time, VVPAT devices would be used in all polling stations in the district. The devices were used only in a few select constituencies in the previous Assembly election in the state. The device allows voters to verify if their vote has gone to the intended candidate. The printout of the image, which could be viewed by the voter briefly through a glass window, would be retained in the VVPAT unit.
Tiruchi Collector S.Sivarasu, who inspected the process of transporting the polling materials, said that 3,320 ballot and 1,660 control units of EVMs and and equal number of VVPAT devices were despatched to the 1,660 polling stations in the six Assembly segments of Srirangam, Tiruchi West, Tiruchi East, Tiruverumbur, Gandharvakottai (Reserved) and Pudukottai in Tiruchi Lok Sabha constituency.
Adequate numbers of EVMs, including 673 ballot and 374 control units and 516 VVPAT devices, have been kept as reserve and will be used to replace malfunctioning units, if any.
Polling would begin at 7 a.m. and end by 6 p.m.on Thursday. Ramps and wheel chairs have been provided in all the polling stations for the benefit of persons with disabilities and senior citizens. Volunteers have been appointed in all the polling stations in Tiruchi district to assist persons who require wheel chairs to exercise their franchise. Besides, basic amenities such as toilets, drinking water supply, power supply and fans have been provided at the polling stations, he added.
Mr.Sivarasu also disclosed that booth slips have been distributed door-to-door. Those who have not received the same, can get the slips from the Booth Level Officers who would be present at the polling stations.
However, voters cannot exercise their franchise by just producing the slips but would have to produce their Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) or any one of the following 11 identity documents approved by the Election Commission: Passport; driving licence; employee identity cards with photo issued by Central/State government PSUs/ public limited companies; bank or post office pass books with photos; PAN card; smart card issued by RGI under NPR; MNREGA job card; health insurance smart card issued under scheme of Ministry of Labour; pension document with photograph; official identity cards of MPs/MLAs/MLCs; or Aadhaar card.
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