The district administration has put in place all necessary steps for the ensuing local body polls, election observer and Principal Secretary Har Sahay Meena said here on Saturday after holding a review meeting at the Coimbatore Collectorate.
A release issued at the end of the meeting said a municipal corporation, seven municipalities and 33 town panchayats in the district would be going to the polls. The Coimbatore Corporation with 100 wards had 15.38 lakh voters, the seven municipalities with 198 wards had 1.81 lakh voters and the 33 town panchayats with 513 wards had 4.73 lakh voters.
In all, 21.92 lakh voters would be exercising their franchise on February 19.
The Coimbatore Corporation had a returning officer, 20 assistant returning officers and 15 flying squads, the seven municipalities had as many returning officers, 21 assistant returning officers and as many flying squads and the 33 town panchayats had as many returning officers, 66 assistant returning officers and 33 flying squads, the releasing quoting Mr. Meena said.
At the end of the window period for filing nomination, 1,130 candidates had filed nomination to contest in the Coimbatore Corporation, 1,097 persons had filed nomination to contest in 198 wards in the seven municipalities and 2,346 persons for the 513 wards in the 33 town panchayats.
The Corporation would have a counting centre for the 100 wards, the seven municipalities would have seven counting centres and the 33 town panchayats nine centres. In all the urban local bodies going to the polls, the district administration had identified 436 booths to be sensitive, where it would install CCTV cameras for monitoring polling and take other necessary measures.
The release said Mr. Meena flagged off a hi-tech electronic vehicle of the Department of Information and Public Relations to create awareness among voters in the urban local bodies going to polls.
Collector G.S. Sameeran, City Police Commissioner Pradip Kumar, Corporation Commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara, Superintendent of Police Selvanagarathinam and other senior officials participated in the meeting.
