Kozhikode district all set for local body polls: Collector

As many as 731 polling booths in Kozhikode district have been identified as sensitive, and authorities will deploy special forces at these locations during polling. Explaining the district’s preparedness for the second phase of the local body elections on December 11, District Collector and Election Officer Snehil Kumar Singh said 117 such booths are in Kozhikode city, while the rest fall under Kozhikode rural. Webcasting facilities will be available in 166 booths, he added.

The district has 26,82,682 voters, including 14,16,275 women, 12,66,375 men and 32 transgenders. An electronic system will be in place to monitor voter turnout, and live streaming from polling stations will be available. Voting will begin at 7 a.m., preceded by a mock poll at 6 a.m. Polling will close at 6 p.m., but voters present at the polling station by then will be allowed to cast their votes.

There are 3,097 polling stations in total — 2,411 in grama panchayats, 290 in municipalities and 396 in Corporation limits. Around 16,000 postal ballots have been issued in the district, and voters can submit them before the returning officers of the respective local bodies. Officials have arranged 1,437 vehicles to support the polling process.

The district has 4,283 control units and 11,020 ballot units, of which 3,940 control units and 10,060 ballot units have already been distributed. Twenty centres will be used for the distribution and collection of voting machines, and counting will begin at 8 a.m. on December 13 at these centres.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Arun K. Pavithran and Additional Superintendent of Police (Kozhikode Rural) A.P. Chandran attended the press meet. Around 3,000 security personnel, including 2,100 police officers, home guards, special police officers and the Rapid Response Force, have been deployed across the district to ensure smooth polling.

Thilakkam

The Collector said the district has collected ₹5 lakh so far for violations of the green protocol. Five special squads are active in the district to check defacement, and authorities have received 135 complaints in this regard.

Mr. Singh said he has yet to receive a proper explanation from the Secretary of Kozhikode Corporation proving that the Corporation’s progress report titled ‘Thilakkam’ was published and distributed to councillors before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect. “We are examining all the evidence received so far and verifying its authenticity. The State Election Commission will take the final call,” he said. The UDF and the BJP had complained to the Collector that the LDF violated the MCC by distributing the copies of the progress report to voters during campaigning.