Model code of conduct comes into force in Kerala

Kerala will see 2,56,27,620 voters exercise their franchise in the Assembly elections to be held in a single phase on May 16. There are 1,23,26,185 men and 1,3301435 women voters, according to EK Majhi, chief electoral Officer.

Election notification will be issued on April 22, he told newspersons here. The model code of conduct has come into force from Friday and will hold until the election process is completed on May 21.

The last date for filing nominations is April 30 and the last date for withdrawal is May 2. Counting is on May 19. The State will have 64 counting centres.

Of the 140 segments, 14 have been reserved for scheduled castes and two for scheduled tribes. The State will have 21,498 polling stations set up at 12,038 locations.

The Commission will use 35,946 electronic voting machines for the elections, Majhi said.

Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines will be used at Vattiyoorkavu and Nemom here; Kollam; Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrikkakara in Ernakulam district; Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode North and the town area in the Kannur segment.

Photographs of candidates would be printed on ballot papers, both EVMs and postal ballots. A sample ballot paper would be displayed at the polling stations to give a clear idea to the voters.

At least 1.5 lakh persons, including policemen, would be posted for polling duty.

Software solutions e-Anumathi (for according clearances), e-Pariharam (for clearing complaints) and e-Vahanam (for managing the vehicles hired for elections) will be deployed for smooth conduct of the elections.

A web-based complaint monitoring system will be in place to redress public complaints. The website of the Chief Electoral Officer is being equipped for mounting search of electoral roll and for locating voter booths.

Flying squads, static surveillance trams, video surveillance teams, and accounting teams would be deployed for monitoring election expenditure of parties and candidates.

The maximum expenditure limit for a candidate has been set at ₹28 lakh. A media monitoring committee would function to scrutinise paid news.