All booths across dist to have VVPAT

Thiruvananthapuram: As the election notification is being awaited, the district administration has completed the preliminary arrangements for the conduct of smooth polls in Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituencies. As per the updated voters’ list, the district has a total of 26,54,470 voters. Of this, around half of the total (13,95,804) are women and there are 41 transgender persons.
District collector K Vasuki, who is also the district election officer, said the squads to check strict observance of code of conduct would be active with the publication of election notification.

There are around 2,715 polling booths in Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram constituencies. “The first phase of works to assign officials for election duty has been completed. A series of training programmes were conducted,” she said.

In all the booths, voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) electronic voting machines will be used. Awareness programmes regarding to use VVPAT and electronic voting machines were held. Election officials have already visited 1,209 polling booths to conduct training and mock poll. Election awareness programmes were held at IIST, Technopark, VSSC and Military camp, Pangode.

Eighteen nodal officers will work in the district. Each officer will have a team to co-ordinate election activities. Training for master trainers, who are assigned to provide training for polling officials, has been completed. The district collector has also held talks with district police chief regarding security measures for election.

On Friday, a vehicular campaign to introduce VVPAT voting machines to voters was launched by the district administration. ‘Vote vandi’, a vehicle carrying a model polling station, was flagged off by Vasuki from near Press Club here. The vehicle will tour across the district and encourage public to try casting votes in the model polling booth.

“Our plan is to take this vehicle to each and every voter in the district. Voters can cast mock votes. There will be officials who will explain the functioning of the electronic voting machines and clear doubts of voters,” said Vasuki.

The campaigns are being organized as part of systematic voters’ education and electoral participation (SVEEP) programme.