Madurai to webcast all 3,079 polling booths

Madurai: District collector and district election officer K J Praveen Kumar on Monday said 100% webcasting would be implemented at all 3,079 polling booths in Madurai district on polling day to ensure transparency.Addressing reporters, he said nine flying squad teams had been formed for each assembly constituency, taking the total to 90 squads. Another 90 static surveillance teams were deployed to check vehicles entering the district, with three teams operating in each constituency at a time on a rotation basis. Video surveillance teams and other monitoring mechanisms had also been put in place to ensure strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), he said. Praveen Kumar said booths that recorded less than 10% voter turnout in the previous assembly election had been identified and steps were being taken to improve voter participation there. He said officials would seize cash exceeding Rs 10 lakh transported without valid documents and share details with the income tax department. The public was advised not to carry cash exceeding Rs 50,000 without proper receipts. Banks have also been instructed to transport cash meant for ATMs with QR codes indicating the bank and branch details. The collector said 3,079 polling booths had been set up across 10 assembly constituencies in the district, mostly near residential areas as per Election Commission guidelines. A new polling booth has been established at the Shanthi Sadhan residential complex in Madurai West constituency. A total of 14,764 polling personnel, including 3,691 presiding officers, would be deployed for the election process. As many as 5,232 service voters from the district serving in the armed forces would vote through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS). He added that 1,159 voters aged above 85 and 891 persons with disabilities had applied to vote from home, and arrangements were being made for them. Steps were also being taken to facilitate voting by inmates of Madurai prison. Basic amenities such as drinking water, toilets and facilities for depositing mobile phones would be provided at polling stations. Control rooms have been set up at the collectorate and the offices of returning officers in all 10 constituencies to address election-related queries and complaints through a toll-free number. Praveen Kumar said the voter turnout mobile application would provide updates on polling every two hours on election day. Candidates could apply for permissions through the Suvidha 2.0 mobile application, while persons with disabilities could use the Saksham app. Special "pink" polling stations, managed entirely by women officials, would also be set up, he added. Madurai city police commissioner J Loganathan and superintendent of police P K Arvind were present. Meanwhile, the weekly grievance redressal meeting at the collectorate would remain suspended on Mondays during the MCC period. A drop box has been placed inside the collectorate for the public to submit representations.