About 12.90 lakh residents of Coimbatore corporation will choose their new mayor
EVMs are kept in a state of readiness at the strong rooms in Sidhapudur corporation school in Coimbatore on Wednesday. (Photo: DC/File)
Coimbatore: About 12.90 lakh residents of Coimbatore corporation will choose their new mayor amid strident Oppositon allegations of rampant cash distribution to buy votes.
Voting will begin at sharp 7 am in the 1,226 booths across 100 wards in five zones of Coimbatore corporation. Precisely, 12,90,652 residents are eligible to press the EVM buttons.
Of the 1,226 booths, 236 have been identified as sensitive.
And surveillance cameras will capture the voting proceedings in the booths. On the eve of the polling, 1,380 EVMs, including over 100 stand-by machines, were despatched to the 1,226 booths.
As many as 125 booths each have been earmarked exclusively for women and men. Nearly 5,800 staff, including teachers, government staff, have been deployed for poll duty with 1,200 staff for each zone.
The bypoll is being held as former mayor S.M. Velusamy suddenly tendered his resignation after he was stripped of his district secretary post in the ruling AIADMK. Velusmany was conspicuously absent during the AIADMK's high-voltage campaign. AIADMK candidate P. Rajkumar is confident of a massive triumph while the Opposition BJP and the CPM call it a "buy poll and not a bypoll".
Meanwhile, returning officer and corporation commissioner S. Ganesan said cell phones are prohibited inside booths and those who do not have passes for taking photographs will not be allowed to take cameras into the booths.
Following complaints that the election cell received in the five zones, 516 political banners, 253 wall graffiti and 66 political flags have been removed. The round-the-clock complaint cell is open at 2302323 for lodging complaints on poll code violations.
Counting of votes is scheduled for September 22. Postal votes will be counted before the votes recorded in the EVMs are counted. Arrangements are in place to ensure that the results are announced instantaneously.
Surveillance cameras have been installed in the counting booths for monitoring purpose. Voters who do not possess booth slips may bring EPIC card or passport or driving licence or PAN card or passbook as proof of identity . Certificate of evidence of freedom fighter and ex-serviceman with photo will also be accepted. Besides, SC/ST/OBC certificates, gun licence and physically challenged certificate with photo will also be accepted, said a corporation press release.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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