5,090 officials to be deployed for poll duty in Wayanad

As many as 5,090 officials will be deployed for the upcoming local body bolls in Wayanad district.

Sources said that 848 polling booths would be set up, and 4,240 officials would be deployed in the booths. In addition, 850 officials will be kept as reserve.

Special polling officials will be posted for disbursing postal votes to those reported as COVID-19 positive as well as those in quarantine.

As many as 749 polling booths have been set up in 23 grama panchayats and 99 booths for three municipalities in the district.

The highest number of booths is in Nenmeni and Panamaram grama panchayats (46 each), and the lowest is in Thariode and Vengapally grama panchayats (13 each).

Ramps have also been set up in all booths for physically challenged voters.

There will be 848 presiding officers, 848 first polling officers, 1,696 polling officers, 848 polling assistants on duty. The number of electronic voting machines (EVM) will be 1,206.

While multi-post EVMs will be used for three-tier grama panchayat polls, single-post machines will be used in municipalities. The first-level checking of all EVMs have been completed, sources said.