Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Electoral Officer in Kerala Teeka Ram Meena said on Saturday that about 4,482 polling stations in the State were identified as sensitive and of them 162 locations are considered as Left-wing extremists-affected ones.
Speaking to reporters, he said that 817 of the polling booths are listed as critical polling stations and 425 were categorised as vulnerable, where where weaker sections of people in the society are residing and these regions were considered as being influenced,” he told reporters.
Of these the police have also identified 162 locations as Left-wing extremists affected ones. They were from Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad and Palakkad.
The CEO stated that 57 companies of central force has been requested in the state and over 4,700 personnel will be deployed at these polls.
The total electorate strength is 2,61,46,853 of which 1,26,81,992 are men, 1,34,64,688 women and 173 third gender voters stated the CEO, adding that Malappuram district has got the maximum number of first-time voters, that is, 60,469.
Meena further informed the media that through the C-VIGIL mobile app over 17,000 complaints have been rehistered till now and of them the officials have found that 14,447 were genuine.
147 cases related to political parties wooing voters on the basis of religion have been registered, 31 cases of gifts for vote, 28 cases of money distribution and 700 cases against posters without the mandatory declaration, 1,200 cases of property defacement and 40 complaints were on using loudspeakers after 10 in the night have been filed and over Rs 14 crore have been seized till now said Meena.
The CEO urged the public to use the app more often to bring out the corrupt electoral practices.