KOCHI: A total of 243 nominations have been found valid in the EC scrutiny, with the last date for withdrawing papers scheduled to end on Tuesday. The maximum number of applications -22- were received in Wayanad from where Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is seeking the mandate. Pathanamthitta with just seven nominations accounts for the lowest number of papers filed by candidates.
Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena said April 23 polling day will be a paid holiday in the state for government offices and private establishments. Counting of votes will begin at 8 am on May 23. The total number of eligible voters in the state is 2,61,51,534 of which 1,34,66, 521 are women with 174 transgenders. Of the total electors 5,49,969 belong to the 18-19 age group while 87, 648 are overseas electors. Eight hundred and twenty-seven polling stations have been identified as critical and 425 as vulnerable. Besides, 162 face Maoist(LWE) threat and 4,482 have been listed as sensitive.
cVIGIL
The cVIGIL, a mobile application launched by the EC to report Model Code of Conduct(MCC) and Expenditure violations during the elections has been a major success in the state.
Around 17,000 complaints were received and 14,447 were genuine. Of these, 11,000 pertained to the posters kept in government offices and private properties without permission. Thirty-one complaints were on presenting gifts to voters, 82 were for providing liquor, 28 for giving cash and 700 on posters without mandatory declaration.