All arrangements are in place for holding byelections on Tuesday to 33 local body wards, State Election Commissioner A. Shajahan said here on Sunday.
Polling will begin at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. A mock poll will be held one hour before the actual polling begins.
Voters can produce any of the following documents to establish their identity: Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) issued by the Election Commission of India, passport, driving licence, PAN card, Aadhaar card, photo-affixed SSLC book, passbook with photograph issued by nationalised banks within six months of the election, and identity card issued by the State Election Commission.
The poll-bound wards include three municipality wards - Kuttimaram Parambu in Erattupetta municipality, Factory in Kayamkulam municipality and Palattu Road in Ottapalam municipality - one district panchayat ward (Vaniyamkulam in Palakkad district), five block panchayat wards and 24 grama panchayat wards.
In all, 114 candidates, including 47 women, are in the fray. The poll-bound wards have a combined voter strength of 1,43,345 including 75,581 women and 67,764 men.
The State Election Commission, which is tasked with the preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections to local bodies, has arranged 192 polling booths for Tuesday. Steps have also been taken to maintain law and order at the booths, Mr. Shajahan said. Videography and additional police deployment will be arranged at sensitive booths.
The counting of the polled votes will begin at 10 a.m. on December 13, Wednesday, at multiple venues. The results can be accessed on the TREND link on the commission’s website www.sec.kerala.gov.in.
