Steps for smooth polls in Kollam

96 critical, 210 sensitive polling booths in district

Poll plan:District Collector A. Shainamol, flanked by City Police Commissioner P. Prakash and District Superintendent of Police (Kollam Rural) S. Ajitha Beegum, releasing the election guide for Kollam on Friday.— Photo: C.Suresh Kumar

Of the 1,786 polling booths in the 11 Assembly segments in Kollam, 96 have been identified as critical and 210 sensitive. All the critical and 128 of the sensitive stations will be covered by webcasting.

District Collector A. Shainamol, the district election officer, said 15 micro-election observers would be monitoring such booths. In addition to that, central armed police forces would be deployed at all the critical and sensitive booths.

She said all arrangements were in place for the smooth conduct of polls in the district. There are 20,93,407 voters in the district, including 11,00,160 female voters and 9,93,247 male voters.

Ms. Shainamol said 3,800 police personnel had been deployed for election duty in the district. For the smooth conduct of the poll, 110 group patrols, 64 law and order patrols, 24 circle strike forces, nine subdivision strike forces, and two-district level strike forces had began operations.

Wherever necessary, the central police forces would conduct flag marches and area domination exercises.

Ms. Shainamol said 55 polling booths in the district would be model polling booths. There would be facilities for voters to rest at such booths.

She said only women would be deployed as polling officers in 27 booths, which had been declared women-friendly. Services of medical personnel would be available at all model and women-friendly polling stations.

These polling stations would also have wheelchairs for the convenience of physically challenged persons, who could exercise their franchise by skipping the queue.

The polling stations would have all basic facilities and the respective sectoral officer would ensure the same.

Eight counting stations

There are eight counting stations for the eleven constituencies. The counting for the Kollam, Eravipuram, and Chathannur constituencies will be held at Kollam Saint Aloysius HSS. For Kundara constituency, Government Model Boys HSS, Kollam; Punalur, Government HSS Punalur; Pathanapuram, Saint Stephen’s HSS, Pathanapuram; Kottarakara and Chadayamangalam, Government Boys VHSS Kottarakara; Kunnathur (Government HSS Sasthamcotta); Chavara, Town LPS, Karunagapally; and Karunagapally (UP GS Karunagapally.