THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Election Commission will publish final electoral rolls for the local bodies poll on Tuesday.
The final electoral roll contains 2.49 crore voters, including 5.04 lakh new voters — those who attained 18 years of age this year and 725 Non Resident Keralite voters.
The draft voters list was published on June 1, 2015. State election commissioner K Sasid-haran Nair said that even after the publication of final electoral rolls, it would be open for enrolment, alteration and revision. Enrolment would be open till 12 days before the last date of nomination.
Since there is no facility for online voting, the NRK voters will have to visit the state to cast votes at their respective booths.
The NRKs can register themselves by applying on line. A copy of the application along with signed copy of passport have to be sent to the electoral registration officer concerned.
Such voters can exercise their franchise by carrying along their original passports to the polling booth.
Election commissioner said that photo affixed electoral rolls are being used for the ensuing polls and identity proof would be mandatory.
The following ID cards would be accepted as identity proof; Election Commission voter I card, photo affixed voter slips issued by State Election Commission , passport, driving license, Adhaar card, SSLC book with picture and pass book containing photograph issued by nationalised banks.
He said Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used for the first time in all local bodies. All arrangements had been made in this connection. Earlier, EVMs had been used in corporations. As many as 37,500 multi-post voting machines had been distributed to various districts.
Opposition slams SEC for violating HC directive
CPM state secretariat on Monday alleged that state EC’s decision to extend local bodies poll indefinitely was against the spirit of High Court verdict.
In a statement the party said that as per Constitution, the new governing council had to be in place by November 1, 2015.
The state government had tried to derail the process but its plea for extending the poll was rejected by HC.
Besides, the court had also left it to SEC to exercise the powers besto-wed on it for discharging the constitutional responsibility.
It said it did not behove a constitutional body like SEC to go against the HC view.
The party urged the SEC to announce dates for the polls to ensure that new governing councils assume office by November 1, 2015.
“The SEC should take immediate steps in this direction so that the code of conduct comes in force at the earliest,” it said.
CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said the SEC had acted against the HC direction.
“We will take a decision on moving court after SEC announces the dates for polls. We expect the EC to discharge its constitutional responsibility and hold elections without much delay,” he added.
Earlier, at the all party meeting LDF leaders had urged the SEC to comply with the constitutional obligation of having polls in time.
