Thiruvananthapuram: More than five lakh first-time voters are expected to turn up at the polling booths in the 20 constituencies in the state for the Lok Sabha elections as polling begins at 7 am on Friday.
Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul said 66,303 security personnel have been deployed to ensure safe and peaceful polling in the state. Elaborate security arrangements have been made by Kerala police and central paramilitary forces for the polls. There are 25,231 booths in the state this time.
The police have put in place elaborate security arrangements at these booths which have been set up at 13,272 locations. ADGP M R Ajith Kumar is the nodal officer for police deployment. IG (Headquarters) Harshitha Attalluri will be the additional nodal officer.
The police districts have been divided into 144 election subdivision zones under 20 district police chiefs. SPs/DySPs are in charge of each sub-division zone. As many as 183 DySPs, 100 inspectors, 4540 SIs and ASIs, 23932 senior civil police officers, 2874 home guards, 4383-armed police battalion members and 24327 SPOs will provide the entire security across the state.
Besides, 62 companies of CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) have also been deployed in the state. Of these, 15 companies arrived in the state on March 3 and 21. The remaining 47 companies of forces arrived on April 20 after the completion of polling in Tamil Nadu.
Additional police forces, including central forces, have been deployed at problematic polling stations. As many as 4464 personnel from CAPFs and 1500 police personnel from Tamil Nadu have been deployed.
Two patrol teams have been set up under each police station to maintain law and order. A Rapid Action Force has also been deployed at all police stations to ensure that the elections are not disrupted due to law-and-order problems that may arise on election day.
Special security for Maoist affected areas
Special security measures have been taken in Maoist-affected areas involving central forces so that voters can cast their votes fearlessly. The polling stations have been divided into clusters and a group patrol system has been put in place.
For attention of first-time voters; Here's how to vote
More than five lakh first-time voters will turn up at the polling booths this time as polling for 20 constituencies in the state begins at 7 am on Friday.
Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul said that all the youth who have the right to vote should exercise their franchise and participate in nation-building.
Voting Process
1. The voter arrives at the polling booth and stands in a queue
2. When the voter's turn arrives, the polling officer checks the name in the voter's list and the identity proof shown by the voter.
3. The First Polling Officer applies ink on the index finger of your left hand, gives the slip and signs it.
4. The polling officer accepts the slip and checks the ink mark on the voter's finger.
5. The voter arrives in the compartment for voting. The third polling officer then sets up the ballot unit for voting. Then the ready light in the ballot unit glows. The voter then presses the blue button on the EVM towards the candidate of interest. Then the red light against the candidate's name glows.
Immediately, the ballot slip containing the serial number, name and symbol of the selected candidate is printed by the VVPAT machine and displayed for seven seconds. The beeping sound from the control unit ensures that the vote is cast.
Contact the presiding officer if you do not see the ballot slip on the VVPAT or do not hear the beep. The slip printed after casting the vote will then be safe in the VVPAT machine.
