CHENNAI: The District Election Office (DEO) began registering the names and symbols of candidates in the electronic voting machines in Chennai on Wednesday. The process is likely to be completed in three days.
A total of 11,843 ballot units, 4,469 control units and 4,842 VVPAT machines were allotted through randomisation for the three parliamentary constituencies in Chennai. The Election Commission has also designated 20% reserve units for the three Lok Sabha seats.
The DEO inspected the EVM registration process at the Bharathi Women’s College in George Town and the Chennai Women’s Higher Secondary School in Tiruvanmiyur. Two EVM units were allotted for each polling booth in Central Chennai where 31 candidates are in the fray and three EVM units were allotted for each polling booth in Chennai North and South constituencies which have 35 and 41 candidates respectively.
As many as 769 polling booths were identified in the city as requiring special attention and the DEO has appointed special micro observers and police observers for these booths. Among them, 611 booths were identified as vulnerable and 23 as critical.
A total of 14,735 government staff and 19,122 police on poll duty have applied for postal voting in Chennai. Out of 4,538 postal ballots distributed for people over 85 and disabled persons, as many as 1,003 voters have cast their votes till Wednesday.
Seizure so far
Rs 14.73 crore seized by Flying Squad Teams, Static Surveillance Teams
Rs 19.92 crore by Income Tax department
Rs 1 crore by the Excise Department
Rs 59.33 lakh worth drugs & alcohol