Candidate setting to begin in district from Sunday

KOCHI: The candidate setting process, where the names and symbols of the contestants are entered into the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), will be conducted in the district on Sunday and Monday. District Collector S Suhas, who is also the election officer, distributed the EVMs to the returning officers in 10 blocks on Friday. On Saturday, the machines will be handed over to the returning officers in four block panchayats, 13 municipalities and corporation areas.

The procedure will take place in the distribution and collection centres in the presence of the candidates or their agents, in case the nominee is absent. An additional ballot unit will be set up if more than 15 candidates are contesting in a ward. EVMs in which candidate setting has been done will be kept in strong rooms under the supervision of the returning officers. “The distribution of machines and other polling materials will take place on December 9,” said an election official. 

The candidate setting of the voting machines in the corporation area will begin at 6pm at Maharaja’s College Centenary Auditorium. Candidate setting in Tripunithura municipal corporation limit will be held on Sunday at Government Boys Vocational Higher Secondary School.