Kerala - Kochi
Preparations for polls reach final stages
Staff Reporter
EVMs readied for 10 of the 14 constituencies
KOCHI: Preparations for the Assembly elections on Saturday are reaching their final stages in Ernakulam district.
Setting of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for 10 of the 14 constituencies in the district was completed in the respective counting centres on Tuesday, in the presence of representatives of political parties and Election Observers. The setting for the Vadakkekara, Aluva, Muvattupuzha and Kothamagalam constituencies will be completed on Wednesday.
In a novel step, 185 polling officers will be trained in using digital cameras, on a directive of the Election Commission.
The officers, selected from a list prepared for choosing presiding and polling officers, will be given training on Thursday at the District Panchayat Hall at Kakkanad.
The cameras will be used to record happenings in polling booths, especially those declared 'sensitive' and 'vulnerable.' The idea is to make the election procedure as transparent as possible and eliminate possibilities for anomalies, District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said here on Tuesday.
He said a thorough communication plan had been prepared for tracking polling booths. A neighbouring telephone would be identified for each booth; they could be of houses, shops or even public call offices. Even if the booths were not accessible by mobile phones, these landlines could be used to reach them.
Vehicles and boats had been arranged for transporting polling officials and polling material. Nearly 600 of them, such as utility vehicles, minivans and buses, were needed.
Defamatory posters
The Collector said the authorities concerned were vigilant against use of defamatory posters and booklets printed without adequate information on them for campaign. Certain persons identified in this connection had been kept under notice. The authorities were examining such posters seen in different parts of the district. A case would be registered in connection with a highly defamatory poster against the United Democratic Front candidate in the Ernakulam constituency, K.V. Thomas.
District Planning Officer Velayudhan Chettiar, who is the Returning Officer for constituency, had been given directions in this regard.
Mr. Hanish said an anti-defacement squad working in the district had been requested to inform expenditure officers about the cost incurred in removing posters pasted in violation of the law. The expenditure officers were V. Anantha Shenoy, Finance Officer at the Collectorate, and K.G. Raju, Revenue Divisional Officer, Muvattupuzha.
Postal ballots
The Collector said postal ballots had been despatched. Details of documents that could be used for identification in the absence of voter identity cards would be distributed in the form of leaflets.
The officials would also be given clear guidelines on the steps to be taken according to a directive of the Election Commission in case polling percentage was higher than 80 in any booths.
A media centre will be opened by Mr. Hanish at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at the Public Relations Department at the Collectorate.
(The Hindu, April 26, 2006)
Preparations for polls reach final stages
Staff Reporter
EVMs readied for 10 of the 14 constituencies
KOCHI: Preparations for the Assembly elections on Saturday are reaching their final stages in Ernakulam district.
Setting of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for 10 of the 14 constituencies in the district was completed in the respective counting centres on Tuesday, in the presence of representatives of political parties and Election Observers. The setting for the Vadakkekara, Aluva, Muvattupuzha and Kothamagalam constituencies will be completed on Wednesday.
In a novel step, 185 polling officers will be trained in using digital cameras, on a directive of the Election Commission.
The officers, selected from a list prepared for choosing presiding and polling officers, will be given training on Thursday at the District Panchayat Hall at Kakkanad.
The cameras will be used to record happenings in polling booths, especially those declared 'sensitive' and 'vulnerable.' The idea is to make the election procedure as transparent as possible and eliminate possibilities for anomalies, District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said here on Tuesday.
He said a thorough communication plan had been prepared for tracking polling booths. A neighbouring telephone would be identified for each booth; they could be of houses, shops or even public call offices. Even if the booths were not accessible by mobile phones, these landlines could be used to reach them.
Vehicles and boats had been arranged for transporting polling officials and polling material. Nearly 600 of them, such as utility vehicles, minivans and buses, were needed.
Defamatory posters
The Collector said the authorities concerned were vigilant against use of defamatory posters and booklets printed without adequate information on them for campaign. Certain persons identified in this connection had been kept under notice. The authorities were examining such posters seen in different parts of the district. A case would be registered in connection with a highly defamatory poster against the United Democratic Front candidate in the Ernakulam constituency, K.V. Thomas.
District Planning Officer Velayudhan Chettiar, who is the Returning Officer for constituency, had been given directions in this regard.
Mr. Hanish said an anti-defacement squad working in the district had been requested to inform expenditure officers about the cost incurred in removing posters pasted in violation of the law. The expenditure officers were V. Anantha Shenoy, Finance Officer at the Collectorate, and K.G. Raju, Revenue Divisional Officer, Muvattupuzha.
Postal ballots
The Collector said postal ballots had been despatched. Details of documents that could be used for identification in the absence of voter identity cards would be distributed in the form of leaflets.
The officials would also be given clear guidelines on the steps to be taken according to a directive of the Election Commission in case polling percentage was higher than 80 in any booths.
A media centre will be opened by Mr. Hanish at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at the Public Relations Department at the Collectorate.
(The Hindu, April 26, 2006)
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