Tirunelveli to have 3,768 polling booths for civic polls

2,457 booths to be created in Thoothukudi district

Collector M. Karunakaran had a meeting with representatives of recognised political parties at the Collectorate on Friday to iron out issues, if any, pertaining to polling booths to be established for the ensuing local body polls.

Chairing the meeting, Dr. Karunakaran said the list of draft polling booths had been displayed by the Returning Officers in the Collectorate, District Panchayat Office, all panchayat union and village panchayat offices, Tirunelveli Corporation, all municipalities and town panchayat offices.

As per the instruction of the State Election Commission, each booth would have a minimum of 400 voters and the number should not exceed 1,000 electorates. The polling booths would be established within 2 km from the voters’ residences. Though 548 booths had less than 400 voters, the district administration had created polling booths in those areas considering the voters’ convenience.

The district would have 3,768 polling booths – 404 in Tirunelveli Corporation, 367 in seven municipalities, 656 in 36 town panchayats and 2,341 in 19 panchayat unions – for the forthcoming civic polls while the district had only 3,492 booths for the previous local body elections.

“The electoral roll, which was released on April 29 last for the last Assembly election, will be used for the local body polls. However, addition and deletion of voters in the list is still possible by submitting appropriate application before the stipulated deadline,” Dr. Karunakaran said.

He said list of draft polling stations would be released on September 12 and the political parties, having any grievances with this list, could submit their representations. “The final list of polling stations for the local body polls will be released on September 14,” the Collector said.

Earlier, Dr. Karunakaran participated in the summary revision of electoral roll awareness human chain organised at VOC Stadium.

Thoothukudi

A total of 258 polling booths will be established within the Corporation limits for the local body elections, as per the draft polling booths list released here on Friday.

Of the 2,457 polling booths to be created in the district for the civic polls, the Corporation will have 258 polling booths.

As the State Election Commission has asked the Corporation administration to get the consent of the councillors for the draft list of polling stations, the last meeting of the urban civic body was organised on Friday.

When a few councillors, on getting the copy of the list, raised objections and wanted the shifting of a couple of polling booths, they were asked to give their representations in writing.