CHENNAI : Preparations for the Lok Sabha elections just four months away, have gained momentum in the State with the office of the Chief Electoral Officer finalising the electoral rolls after the recently concluded summary revision. There will be increase in the number of polling booths as well as the number of polling staff to be engaged.
Besides, for the first time, polling booths in all 39 Parliamentary constituencies will have M3 type of EVMs with Voter’s Verifiable Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) machines. This is being done according to the directive of the Supreme Court last year.
“We have received 91,902 M3 type of EVMs with 1,67,932 ballot units and 88,447 VVPAT machines 30 days ago. All of them are kept in designated strong rooms in each district with round-the-clock police ‘bundobust’ (arrangement). The number of EVMs include 10 per cent for replacement in case of repair etc., and 10 per cent training the election staff. So, we have more than sufficient number of EVMs in stock,” Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahu told Express.
The CEO further explained that already, randomisation of EVMs was over in the presence of election staff as well as representatives of all recognised political parties at the district level. During the process, the representatives checked whether the new advanced, third generation EVMs are functioning well, by operating the keys.
During the summary revision, as many as 20,28,020 applications were received and for them, verification was already over. As on Thursday, data entry has been completed for 95 per cent of these applications and if the Election Commission gives the nod, the final electoral rolls would be released as scheduled, on January 4.
Regarding the number of polling booths, the CEO said at present, after streamlining the location of polling booths etc., the total number of booths stands at 67,664. This is likely to go up by 1,500 according to the requirements in the coming months. In all, around 3.5 lakh employees of State and Central government departments and public sector undertakings, would be engaged in election duty for the Lok Sabha elections. Apart from this, around 60,000 police personnel are likely to be engaged in election duty.
Already, District Election Officers have written to the Centre and State governments, PSUs and banks, on seeking the number of employees they could avail for the election duty and the same would be finalised very soon. Personnel from police, revenue and vigilance departments, would be used for Static Surveillance Squads and Flying Squads, and the details of these officers to be engaged in election duty, would also be decided soon.
Poll pointers
No of voters : 5.82 crore
No of M3 type EVMs to be used: 91,902
No of VVPAT machines to be used: 88,447
No of polling booths : 69,000 (approximately)
No of polling staff to be engaged (including police personnel): Over 4 lakh