THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two each balloting units will be used in the polling booths in three constituencies in Kerala where the number of candidates is above 16. The constituencies are Wayanad, Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram, where the number of candidates is 20, 19 and 17, respectively. The campaigning for the LS polls will end on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Auxiliary polling stations will be set up in Kuttiyadi, Alathur and Kunnamangalam where the number of voters has shown a significant rise, Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena told reporters here on Saturday. Paper slips of VVPATs will be counted in five polling booths in every assembly constituency. The booths will be chosen through a draw of lots in the presence of representatives of political parties.
There are 831 vulnerable booths, 359 critical booths, and 219 face threat from Left Wing Extremists. Of the 219 booths facing Moist threat, 72 are in Wayanad, 67 in Malappuram, 39 in Kannur and 41 in Kozhikode. There will be 240 polling booths managed by all women officers.
The Election Commission has procured an additional 3,000 control units from Mumbai following a high failure rate of machines during commissioning.A total of 35,193 VVPATs, including 35 pc reserve units, have been arranged for deployment in 24,970 booths. The total number of control units is 32,746, including 20-25 pc reserve units.
Action as part of the green protocol announced by the EC for election campaigning saw seizure and destruction of 15 lakh materials, including banners, posters and hoardings. About 51,000 complaints in this regard were received through the cVigil app.There will be 55 counting centres, 257 strong rooms and 2310 counting supervisors. Fifty-seven company of para-military force will provide security.