THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pointing out that nearly 3,000 officers of the forest department have been deployed in remote forest areas as part of the nationwide tiger census, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam on Tuesday said the voting rights of these employees should be ensured for the upcoming local body elections.
Adding that it is both democratic and reasonable to reschedule the census dates, he stated that he has written to the State Election Commissioner and the Forest Department head regarding the same.
Though the census procedures will be completed by December 8, Binoy stated that it will be practically difficult for these officers to return from the deep forest in time to cast their votes on December 9.