The United Democratic Front (UDF) has decided to put pressure on the State Election Commission to redraw the contours of wards in local bodies on the basis of population so that each one would have an average of 1,000 voters.
The UDF subcommittee, scheduled to hold a meeting with the Commission at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, would highlight the need for going in for photo electoral rolls and induction of electronic voting machines (EVMs), besides redefining the documents related to identity proof.
Currently, there is no uniformity in the number of voters in certain wards, ranging between a minimum of 600 and a maximum of 1,500 voters. The decision on limiting the average number of voters to 1,000 will also mean an increase in the number of wards, subject to certain ceiling. For example, the minimum number of wards for panchayats is nine and 23, currently. The proposal is to raise it to 13 and 25. The same yardstick will apply in the case of municipalities and Corporations.
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The UDF leadership is also firm about redefining documents related to identity proof. The documents listed out by the Chief Election Commissioner can be accepted, but identity cards issued by cooperative institutions should be excluded.
Soon after the meeting with the State Election Commission, the UDF subcommittee, set up for processing the delimitation issue, would meet at the PWD rest house to discuss the outcome and prepare a report for the High Power Committee slated for May 20. The UDF is also planning to upgrade three municipalities into Corporations and certain panchayats to municipalities. The Municipalities zeroed for being upgraded are Malappuram, Kannur, and Kottayam.