Thiruvananthapuram: The Election Commission has decided to deploy central paramilitary forces or install video surveillance at 1,233 polling booths in 711 locations identified as critical or vulnerable. The EC's review meeting with political parties and senior officials here on Monday also decided to conduct vulnerability mapping of such areas with suggestions from political parties and deploy additional forces, especially in Kannur, Kasargod, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Malappuram districts.
Central police forces had started reaching the state since Sunday. Election Commission Nasim Zaidi said there would be a strong surveillance against bogus and open voting and malpractices in assisted voting and stern legal action would be initiated against polling officials favouring malpractices.
“The poll preparations in the state so far are quite satisfactory,” he said.
Of the 21,498 polling stations, electricity was provided at 97.94 of them, toilets in 98.75 percent, drinking water in 97.33 percent and ramp facility in 89.19 percent. “Officials are directed to ensure the necessary facilities in all polling stations,” said Mr Zaidi, the CEC
As part of ensuring law and order during the polls, the police so far executed 53,698 non-bailable warrants since the elections were announced on March 4. Of the 10,553 arms licences, 9,760 were already deposited. Unaccounted cash to the tune of Rs. 19.49 crore, 11.19-kilogramme gold and 18.3-litre liquor were so far seized as part of poll-related enforcements.
To prevent bogus voting, it would be insisted that the voter slips with photograph were not distributed through political parties. The booth-level officials themselves will have to distribute the slips and those slips that could not be supplied should be returned to the EC. As of date, there were 2,60,19,284 voters and election identity cards will be distributed to all by May 9.
