This Lok Sabha election season, election officials had to identify new spaces for 441 polling booths in the State, mostly on account of the havoc wreaked by the August 2018 floods.
Many of the existing booths, situated in schools, had sustained damage in the floods, forcing election officials to look for alternative space in the same neighbourhood.
“District Collectors were finding it difficult to locate new, safe buildings. Due to the damage caused by the flood and heavy rain, changes had to be made in the earlier list of polling stations. We had to prepare a revised proposal for 441 polling stations,” Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena said.
All arrangements are in place at the new locations for the April 23 election, Mr. Meena said.
The Election Commission also has approved a revised proposal submitted by the CEO. Ernakulam district, which was badly hit by the floods, accounts for the highest number; approximately 100.
In most cases, the changes were of a minor nature, with the booths having to be moved to another room of the same school, or to an adjacent building, Mr. Meena said. “Wherever that was not possible, they was moved to a location which was close by,” he said.
Publicity given
District Collectors have been asked to give wide publicity about the changes in the respective areas, Mr. Meena said.
Apart from Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Kollam, Kozhikode, and Thrissur also have polling stations in new locations. For the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the State has 24,970 polling stations in all.