THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over 1.2 lakh polling officials and 30,000 state police personnel will be deployed in 25,231 polling booths across Kerala on polling day, April 26.
This is in addition to 62 companies (roughly 7,500 personnel) of the Central Armed Police Force who will guard 1,162 polling stations identified as 'critical' of which 323 booths are located in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas in northern Kerala.
Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Sanjay Kaul had mooted the idea of setting up creches in select polling locations for the convenience of women andchildren. A first-of-its-kind initiative in the state, the creches will come up in polling locations that have more than four booths.
The poll panel is learnt to have identified 3,875 polling locations across the state where creches could be set up. The majority of the creches will be located in Malappuram, the district with the largest number of polling stations, followed by Thiruvananthapuram.
"The main objective of the new initiative is to ensure a hassle-free election experience for women who come to polling booths with little children. The facility will ensure the service of an ayah or woman volunteer to take care of the children while the mothers cast the vote," Kaul told TNIE.
Unlike the previous elections, webcasting of polling booths has taken a technological leap this time around with the adoption of AI-powered cameras to detect electoral malpractices and ensure security. A total of 22,832 booths will have a webcasting facility in the upcoming election.
"As part of extra security measures and for effective crowd management, an additional camera will be placed at a vantage spot to cover the exterior of those polling locations that have more than four polling booths. The visuals will be monitored from dedicated control rooms set up at the district and state levels," Kaul said.
Eight districts, including seven from Kasaragod to Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, would have 100% webcasting, while 75% of booths in the other districts would be under camera surveillance. The booths with webcasting facilities constitute 90% of the 25,231 booths across the state.
Poll material distribution
The distribution of polling material and final deployment of polling staff will be carried out on the eve of the election on Thursday (April 25). According to a source in the Election Department, there are plans to assign sector officers the duty of transporting EVMs and other polling material directly to the polling booths.
Sector Officers/ Sector Magistrates perform a pivotal role in election management and serve as a link between Presiding Officers/Polling Parties, Returning Officers and District Election Officers. They are assigned a 'Sector' of the constituency with a manageable route covering 10–12 polling stations/locations. Sector Officers also ensure the replacement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in case they malfunction.
At present, the polling staff have to collect and carry the polling material and EVMs to the booths on the eve of polling day." A few District Collectors have mooted the proposal to relieve polling officials from the duty of physically carrying the polling material to the booths and delegate the task to sectoralofficers. However, a final decision has not been taken," a source said.