Polling stations ready to receive electorate

ENSURING SAFETY: The Collector, R. Palaniyandi, inspecting the locker room at the Government Polytechnic in Tuticorin on Saturday

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of the second phase of local body elections, as five panchayat unions, one municipality and five town panchayats go to polls in the district on Sunday.

A total of 4,26,194 electors will exercise their franchise in the second phase. Of them, 3,34,937 are in panchayat unions, 49,579 are in Kovilpatti municipality, and 41,678 are in town panchayats.

Five panchayat unions that go to polls are Kayathar, Kovilpatti, Vilathikulam, Pudur and Ottapidaram. The town panchayats are Ettayapuram, Kazhugamalai, Kayathar, V Pudur and Vilathikulam.

Polling in the only other town panchayat, Kadambur, which was slated in the second phase will not take place, since all the candidates have been declared elected unopposed.

The Collector, R. Palaniyandi, said that 894 polling stations were established for the polls on Sunday, of which 82 were identified as `sensitive'. "We had deployed additional police strength in and around these booths," he added.

Of the total sensitive booths, 18 fall under Kovilpatti municipal limits, 19 under Ottapidaram panchayat union, 12 under Kayathar union, six each under Kovilpatti and Pudur unions, seven under Vilathikulam panchayat union and 14 under various town panchayat limits.

He said 63 zonal teams were formed for the second phase of polls, to deliver the polling materials to the respective polling stations from the panchayat union, municipal and town panchayat headquarters, before the polling commences at 7 a.m. on Sunday.

On Saturday morning, Dr. Palaniyandi inspected a few counting centres to check if adequate security measures were provided at the locker rooms where ballot boxes used in the first phase were stored.