Tamil Nadu   

180 polling booths `sensitive' in Vellore

Special Correspondent

40 cases of code violations filed

VELLORE: Five companies of the Central para-military forces, comprising 60-80 personnel each will be despatched to Vellore district within the next five to six days to undertake security duties for the Assembly elections.

Collector S. Gopalakrishnan speaking to newspersons here on Tuesday said that 12 out of the 14 Election Observers, including two Expenditure Observers, have arrived and taken charge. He had earlier presided over a consultative meet of candidates at the Collectorate here. Of the 12 constituencies, observers are yet to arrive for the Anaicut and Arcot constituencies. The Observers advised the district administration to ensure that vehicles used for campaigning obtained the requisite permit.

They brought to its notice a case in Tirupattur, where vehicles without permits were used for campaigning.The Collector said the candidates were told of the arrangements made for the polling. They were advised by the Observers to strictly follow the code of conduct.. They were also asked to submit their accounts to the designated officials on April 26 and 29 and May 2, 5 and 9, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Each candidate and a nominated party functionary would be given a copy of the electoral list free , while others could get them on payment. .

The work of printing postal ballot papers has commenced and their despatch to the service voters and polling officials would be completed by 3 p.m. on April 26. On receipt of the postal ballots, the voters are expected topost them so as to reach the Returning Officers before 7 a.m. on May 11, the day of the counting.

The 12,000 polling personnel in the district would be provided training in 30 centres in the 12 Assembly constituencies on April 26, and May 2 and 5. During training, they would be photographed and issued photo identity cards.

The Collector said that a total of 180 polling stations in Vellore district had been identified as sensitive.

Additional security

Additional security would be provided to these stations. A total of 40 cases of violations, related mostly to defacement of walls of public or private places, had been filed.

M. Ashok Kumar, Superintendent of Police, said under Section 110 Cr.P.C. bonds were secured from 118 habitual offenders. Sixty persons were detained under the Goondas Act for indulging in poll-related criminal acts. The entry of outsiders into Vellore district was being monitored to prevent poll-related violence.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

180 polling booths `sensitive' in Vellore
Will Chengam keep its tryst with the ruling party?
Briefly

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu