Preparations are in full swing for the Lok Sabha elections in the Alappuzha and Mavelikara constituencies.
Speaking to media persons in Alappuzha on Monday, District Collector Alex Varghese said that a total of 2,614 polling stations would be set up across the two constituencies, including 1,333 in Alappuzha and 1,281 in Mavelikara.
While the Alappuzha Lok Sabha segment consists of the Aroor, Cherthala, Alappuzha, Ambalappuzha, Haripad, Kayamkulam, and Karunagapally Assembly constituencies in Alappuzha and Kollam districts, Mavelikara seat is composed of Kuttanad, Mavelikara, and Chengannur Assembly segments in Alappuzha, Changanassery in Kottayam, and Kunnathur, Kottarakara and Pathanapuram in Kollam.
17,21,306 eligible
Mr. Varghese said that a total of 17,21,306 people in the district were eligible to exercise their franchise in the polls to be held on April 26. Among them, 8,98,507 are female voters, 8,22,789 males and 10 transgender persons. The highest number of voters is in the Cherthala Assembly segment (2,07,129). It is followed by Kayamkulam (2,05,822), Mavelikara (1,99,725), Chengannur (1,99,063), Aroor (1,94,485), Alappuzha (1,93,461), Haripad (1,89,961), Ambalappuzha (1,70,473) and Kuttanad (1,61,187).
Mr. Varghese urged all political parties and candidates to strictly adhere to the Model Code of Conduct. Twenty-four nodal officers have been appointed for the conduct of the General election in the district. The District Collector said that Media Certification and Monitoring Committee, 54 flying squads, 48 static surveillance teams, nine anti-defacement squads, nine video surveillance teams, nine expenditure observers, and nine accounting teams had started functioning in the district.
While the Collector will act as the returning officer for the Alappuzha Parliament constituency, Additional District Magistrate Vinod Raj will be the returning officer for the Mavelikara segment.
A meeting of representatives of various political parties chaired by the District Collector was held on the day. Mr. Varghese sought the support of the parties for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the elections.
